periphrasis

n., pl., -ses (-sēz').

1. The use of circumlocution.
2. A circumlocution.

[Latin, from Greek, from periphrazein, to express periphrastically : peri-, peri- + phrazein, to say.]

periphrasis [pe‐rif‐ră‐sis] (plural ‐ases), a roundabout way of referring to something by means of several words instead of naming it directly in asingle word or phrase. Commonly known as ‘ circumlocution’, periphrasis is often used in euphemisms like passed away for ‘died’, but can have a more emphatic effect in poetry, as in the use of kennings. It was especially cultivated by 18th‐century poets whose principle of decorum discouraged them from using commonplace words: thus fish were called the finny tribe, and in Robert Blair's poem ‘The Grave’ (1743) a telescope is the sight‐invigorating tube. The 17th‐century French fashion for préciosité cultivated periphrasis to excess.

adjective: periphrastic.

See also antonomasia, litotes, poetic diction.

using longer phrasing in place of shorter form of expression

The substitution of an elaborate phrase in place of a simple word or expression, as "fragrant beverage drawn from China's herb" for tea.

Dansk (Danish)
n. - omskrivning

Nederlands (Dutch)
omslachtige manier van spreken, omslachtige uitdrukking

Français (French)
n. - périphrase

Deutsch (German)
n. - Periphrase, Umschreibung

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - περίφραση, μακρολογία

Italiano (Italian)
perifrasi

Português (Portuguese)
n. - perífrase (f)

Русский (Russian)
перифраз

Español (Spanish)
n. - perífrasis

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - perifras, omskrivning

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
迂回说法

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 迂迴說法

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 완곡법

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 回りくどい言い方, 迂言法

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) مواربه : طريقه ملتويه أو غير مباشرة في الحديث‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮דיבור מסורבל, דיבור עקיף, גיבוב דברים, שימוש במלות-עזר, פריפרזה‬

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