Added 9 October 2026
periphrastic
/ˌpɛ.ɹɪˈfɹæ.stɪk/ adjective
adjective Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about periphrastic at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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Roundabout and unnecessarily wordy.
had a preference for circumlocutious (or circumlocutory) rather than forthright expression
Origin
Borrowed from Ancient Greek περιφραστικός (periphrastikós), from περίφρασις (períphrasis, “periphrasis”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)