periphrase

  1. Noun.  (rhetoric) The use of more words than are necessary to express the idea; a roundabout, or indirect, way of speaking; circumlocution.
  2. Verb.  (transitive) To express by periphrase or circumlocution.
  3. Verb.  (intransitive) To use circumlocution.

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This entry was last updated on RefTopia from its source on 3/20/2012.