prolixity: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, literary, academic, critical
Quick answer
What does “prolixity” mean?
The quality or state of using too many words.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The quality or state of using too many words; tedious wordiness, long-windedness.
Excessive length and superfluous detail in speech or writing, often leading to tedium and obscuring the main point.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Slightly more frequent and earlier literary use in British English. Conceptually identical.
Connotations
Consistently negative, suggesting boring, inefficient, or pretentious communication.
Frequency
Low frequency in both varieties; more likely encountered in literary criticism, academic reviews, or formal complaints about writing/speech.
Grammar
How to Use “prolixity” in a Sentence
the prolixity of [NP]be guilty of prolixitycriticise [NP] for its prolixityprune away the prolixityVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “prolixity” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The author tends to prolixify when describing minor characters.
- He prolixified his simple apology into a twenty-minute monologue.
American English
- The senator prolixified the hearing with endless anecdotes.
- Legal documents often prolixify straightforward concepts.
adverb
British English
- He wrote prolixly, burying his insights under layers of detail.
- The report proceeded prolixly for fifty pages before its conclusion.
American English
- She spoke prolixly about her vacation, describing every meal.
- The instruction manual was prolixly written, causing confusion.
adjective
British English
- His prolix style tried the patience of the lecture hall.
- She edited the prolix manuscript down to its essential points.
American English
- The contract's prolix language required a specialist to interpret.
- We received a prolix email explaining the new coffee policy.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in feedback on reports or presentations: 'The proposal's prolixity made its core value proposition hard to discern.'
Academic
Common in literary criticism, rhetoric, and reviews of academic writing: 'The thesis suffers from a certain prolixity in its middle chapters.'
Everyday
Very rare. A highly educated synonym for 'going on and on'.
Technical
Used in discourse analysis, editing, and communication studies to describe inefficient textual or spoken style.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “prolixity”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “prolixity”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “prolixity”
- Confusing with 'complexity' (which is about being complicated, not necessarily wordy).
- Using it as a compliment.
- Misspelling as 'prolixicity'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Almost exclusively negative. It criticises communication as unnecessarily long, boring, or inefficient.
They are very close synonyms. 'Prolixity' often carries a stronger connotation of tediousness and drawn-out monotony, while 'verbosity' can sometimes simply mean using more words than necessary. 'Prolixity' is also more formal and literary.
It can refer to both. A speech, lecture, or conversation can be described as having prolixity.
It is a noun. The related adjective is 'prolix', the adverb is 'prolixly', and a rare verb is 'prolixify'.
The quality or state of using too many words.
Prolixity is usually formal, literary, academic, critical in register.
Prolixity: in British English it is pronounced /prəʊˈlɪk.sə.ti/, and in American English it is pronounced /proʊˈlɪk.sə.t̬i/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to be lost in a prolixity of words”
- “a prolixity that obscures the argument”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: PROLIXITY = PRO(long) + LIX (sounds like 'licks' – many licks of words) + ITY (the state of). The state of using pro-long word-licks.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROLIXITY IS EXCESSIVE MATERIAL / PROLIXITY IS A MEANDERING PATH. Words are treated as a substance that overfills a container or as a path that wanders aimlessly before reaching its destination.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the BEST definition of 'prolixity'?