periphrasis

pe·riph·ra·sis

P0196100 (pə-rĭf′rə-sĭs)n. pl. pe·riph·ra·ses (-sēz′) 1. The use of circumlocution.2. A circumlocution.

[Latin, from Greek, from periphrazein, to express periphrastically : peri-, peri- + phrazein, to say; see g^whren- in Indo-European roots.]

periphrasis

(pəˈrɪfrəsɪs) n, pl -rases (-rəˌsiːz) 1. a roundabout way of expressing something; circumlocution2. an expression of this kind[C16: via Latin from Greek, from peri- + phrazein to declare]

pe•riph•ra•sis

(pəˈrɪf rə sɪs)

n., pl. -ses (-ˌsiz) 1. the use of a verbose or roundabout form of expression; circumlocution. 2. an expression phrased in this way. 3. a. the use of two or more words instead of an inflected word to express the same grammatical function. b. an example of this. [1525–35; < Latin < Greek períphrasis. See peri-, phrase]

periphrasis

1. a roundabout way of speaking or writing; circumlocution.
2. an expression in such fashion. Cf. paraphrasis. — periphrastic, adj.See also: Language

1. a roundabout way of speaking or writing; circumlocution.
2. an expression in such fashion. See also language. — periphrastic, adj.See also: Rhetoric and Rhetorical Devices

periphrasis

1. An indirect way of expressing something.2. A roundabout way of expressing a point.

Thesaurus

Noun

periphrasis - a style that involves indirect ways of expressing thingsambage, circumlocutionverboseness, verbosity - an expressive style that uses excessive or empty words

Translations

perifrasi

Periphrasis

(1) In stylistics and poetics, a trope expressing one concept by means of several. Periphrases of varying complexity are possible, from the simplest (“he sank into sleep” instead of “he fell asleep”) to the most complex; the latter approach metonymy, personification, and other tropes. An example is N. V. Gogol’s rendering of “a gray moustache” as “a long moustache powdered by that inexorable barber who, uninvited, appears to both the beautiful and the ugly and who for several thousand years now has been forcibly powdering the whole human race.” A particular type of periphrasis is euphemism, descriptive expression of “low” or “forbidden” concepts (“the evil one” instead of “the devil”). Periphrasis should not be confused with paraphrase.

(2) Sometimes periphrasis refers also to perepev, a type of parody in which the object of satire is not the form of the work parodied but its new content. An example is N. A. Nekrasov’s parody of M. Iu. Lermontov’s “Spi, mladenets moi prekrasnyi” (“Sleep, my beautiful child”) as “Spi, postrel, poka bezvrednyi!” (“Sleep, my little imp, and harmless yet!”).

M. L. GASPAROV

Periphrasis

PERIPHRASIS. Circumlocution; the use of other words to express the sense of one.
2. Some words are so technical in their meaning that in charging offences in indictments they must be used or the indictment will not be sustained; for example, an indictment for treason must contain the word traitorously; (q.v.) an indictment for burglary, burglariously; ( q.v.) and feloniously (q.v.) must be introduced into every indictment for felony. 1 Chitty's Cr. Law, 242; 3 Inst. 15; Carth. 319; 2 Hale, P. C. 172; 184;, 4 Bl. Com. 307; Hawk B. 2, c. 25, s. 55; 1 East P. C. 115; Bac. Ab. Indictment, G 1; Com. ]Dig. Indictment, G 6 Cro. C. C. 37.

periphrasis

pe·riph·ra·sis

periphrasis

pe•riph•ra•sis

periphrasis

periphrasis

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Synonyms for periphrasis

noun a style that involves indirect ways of expressing things

Synonyms

Related Words