Periphrasis
/pəˈɹɪfɹəsɪs/
Last Updated: January 2, 2026 at 12:30 PM
Scrabble:18 ptsWWF:19 pts11 letters
Definition of Periphrasis
noun
- The use of a longer expression instead of a shorter one with a similar meaning, for example "I am going to" instead of "I will".
- Expressing a grammatical meaning (such as a tense) using a syntactic construction rather than morphological marking.
"Language learners sometimes use periphrases like "did go" where a native speaker would use "went"."
- The substitution of a descriptive word or phrase for a proper name (a species of circumlocution).
- The use of a proper name as a shorthand to stand for qualities associated with it.
Anagrams of Periphrasis
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Synonyms & Antonyms
SYNONYMS
beating around the bushcircumlocution