Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: GRAMMAR

Date: 1500-1600
Language: Latin
Origin: Greek, from periphrazein 'to express in a periphrastic way'

periphrasis

 noun
     
pe‧riph‧ra‧sis plural periphrases [uncountable and countable]
1AL formal when someone uses long words or phrases that are not necessary
2 technicalSLG the use of auxiliary words instead of inflected forms
—periphrastic adjective
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