periphrasis: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2 / Very Low Frequency / AcademicFormal, Academic, Literary, Linguistic
Quick answer
What does “periphrasis” mean?
the use of more words than necessary to express an idea.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
the use of more words than necessary to express an idea; circumlocution.
1. In grammar and rhetoric, a roundabout way of speaking or writing. 2. In linguistics, a phrase that functions as a single grammatical unit, often as a substitute for an inflected form (e.g., 'will go' for the future tense of 'go'). 3. In stylistics, the deliberate use of indirect or elaborate language for rhetorical effect.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Slightly more prevalent in British academic writing on classical rhetoric.
Connotations
In both varieties, often implies unnecessary complexity or avoidance of directness in everyday critique. In technical contexts, it is a neutral descriptor.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general usage. Almost exclusively found in academic texts on language, literature, or rhetoric.
Grammar
How to Use “periphrasis” in a Sentence
[subject] engages in/employs/uses periphrasis[subject] is a periphrasis for [concept]to avoid/condemn/criticise (the) periphrasis ofVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “periphrasis” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The minister's answer was a masterclass in political periphrasis.
- Old English used inflection where Modern English uses periphrasis.
American English
- The contract's periphrasis made its terms difficult to decipher.
- Linguists study periphrasis in modal verb constructions.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Critiqued in business communication: 'The report's periphrasis obscured the key financial risks.'
Academic
A standard term in linguistics, rhetoric, and literary criticism: 'The poet's use of periphrasis for common objects creates a defamiliarising effect.'
Everyday
Rare. Might be used humorously or critically: 'Stop the periphrasis and tell me what you actually mean.'
Technical
Linguistics: 'The English future tense is often formed by periphrasis using 'will' or 'shall'.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “periphrasis”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “periphrasis”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “periphrasis”
- Misspelling: 'perifrasis', 'periphrases' (plural). Confusing it with 'paraphrase' (restating in different words, not necessarily verbose). Using it to mean simply 'a long phrase' rather than the *use* of such phrases.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not always. While it often criticizes unnecessary wordiness, in rhetoric and poetry it can be a deliberate stylistic device to create elegance, emphasis, or euphemism. In grammar, it is a neutral term for analytic constructions.
Euphemism is about replacing a harsh or blunt term with a milder one (e.g., 'passed away' for 'died'). Periphrasis is about using more words than needed. A euphemism can *be* periphrastic (using more words), but not all periphrasis is euphemistic.
The adjective is 'periphrastic' (e.g., 'a periphrastic construction').
Yes. 'I have written the letter' uses the periphrastic perfect tense ('have written') instead of a single-word past tense form (which doesn't exist for this verb in English). 'More interesting' is a periphrastic comparative instead of the inflected form 'interestinger' (which is incorrect).
Periphrasis is usually formal, academic, literary, linguistic in register.
Periphrasis: in British English it is pronounced /pəˈrɪfrəsɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /pəˈrɪfrəsɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “beating about the bush”
- “taking the long way round (to say something)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'periphery' (the outer edge) – PERIPHRASIS talks AROUND the subject, staying on the edges rather than going to the centre.
Conceptual Metaphor
LANGUAGE IS A PATH (straight vs. roundabout); THINKING/SPEAKING IS TRAVELLING (direct route vs. detour).
Practice
Quiz
In which field is 'periphrasis' most likely to be used as a neutral, technical term?