periphrase

P3E1R1I1P3H4R1A1S1E1
UK/ˈpɛɹi.fɹeɪz/

noun

The use of more words than are necessary to express the idea; a roundabout, or indirect, way of speaking; circumlocution.

Similar
periphrasis
OriginLatin periphrasis ← Ancient Greek περίφρασις →
Scrabble 17
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Meanings

nounperiphrase (countable and uncountable, plural periphrases)

plural periphrases

  1. countablerhetoricuncountableThe use of more words than are necessary to express the idea; a roundabout, or indirect, way of speaking; circumlocution.

    1821, Thomas De Quincey, John Paul Frederick Richter (published in London Magazine To describe all those on whom the fates of Troy hinged , by enigmatic periphrases

    1 more example

    He held up the condition of the Church in the terrible mirror of his unflinching speech, which called things by their right names and dealt in no polite periphrases[…]

    1863, George Eliot, Romola, Volume III, Book III, Chapter VI, page 56

    Synonyms: periphrasis

verbperiphrase (third-person singular simple present periphrases, present participle periphrasing, simple past and past participle periphrased)

present singular third person periphrases · participle present periphrasing · participle past periphrased · past periphrased

  1. transitiveTo express by periphrase or circumlocution.
  2. intransitiveTo use circumlocution.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe use of more words than are necessary to express the idea; a roundabout, or indirect, way of speaking; circumlocution.

Similar
periphrasis
Also see
logorrheaverbosity

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekπερίφρασις
  2. Latinperiphrasis
  3. Englishperiphrase

From Latin periphrasis from Ancient Greek περίφρασις (períphrasis), from περιφράζομαι (periphrázomai, “to consider all sides of an issue”), from περί (perí, “around”) + φράζω (phrázō, “to show, point out”). See phrase.

More words from Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Sounds the same

paraphrase (if the second vowel is pronounced as a schwa, as it sometimes is)paraphrase (if the second vowel is pronounced as a schwa, as it sometimes is)
Cite this entry
APA

periphrase. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/periphrase

MLA

“periphrase.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/periphrase. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “periphrase,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/periphrase.

Source: periphrase on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.