First Known Use: 1533
Dictionary
periphrasis
noun pe·riph·ra·sis \pə-ˈri-frə-səs\
plural pe·riph·ra·ses\-ˌsēz\
Definition of PERIPHRASIS
1
: use of a longer phrasing in place of a possible shorter form of expression
2
: an instance of periphrasis
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Origin of PERIPHRASIS
Latin, from Greek, from periphrazein to express periphrastically, from peri- + phrazein to point out
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