periphrase

AI In plain words

Writing a short explanation…

Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.

periphrase

/ˈpɛɹi.fɹeɪz/ UK

Sounds like paraphrase (if the second vowel is pronounced as a schwa, as it sometimes is)

Where it comes from

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.

noun periphrases

countable, rhetoric, uncountable The 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
Similar: periphrasis

verb periphrases · periphrasing · periphrased

transitive To express by periphrase or circumlocution.
intransitive To use circumlocution.

Talk about this word

Cite this

MLA

"periphrase." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/periphrase. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

periphrase. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/periphrase

Chicago

"periphrase." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/periphrase.

BibTeX

@misc{periphrase_2026,
  title = {periphrase},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/periphrase},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}