Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
Peripatetic
peripatetic
peripatus
peripheral
peripheral nerve entrapment syndrome
peripheral nervous system
periphery
periphery region
periphrasis
periphrastic
periphyton
periplasm
periplast
periproct
peripteral
perique
periscope
Click to move down the list of words
Also available:

World English Dictionary
Dictionnaire Français

periphrasis

pe·riph·ra·sis [ pə ríffrəssiss ] (plural pe·riph·ra·ses [ pə ríffrə sz ])


noun 
Definition:
 
1. circumlocution: the use of overly long or indirect language in order to say something

2. indirect statement: an expression that states something indirectly

[Mid-16th century. Via Latin< Greek< periphrazein, literally "explain around" < phrazein "explain"]
Advertisement

© 2009 Microsoft