Word Study
circumlocution
CIDE DICTIONARY
circumlocution, n. [L. circumlocutio, fr. circumloqui, -locutus, to make use of circumlocution; circum + loqui to speak. See Loquacious.].
The use of many words to express an idea that might be expressed by few; indirect or roundabout language; a periphrase. [1913 Webster]
"the plain Billingsgate way of calling names . . . would save abundance of time lost by circumlocution." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
circumlocution, n.
1 a a roundabout expression. b evasive talk.
2 the use of many words where fewer would do; verbosity.
1 a a roundabout expression. b evasive talk.
2 the use of many words where fewer would do; verbosity.
Derivative
circumlocutional adj. circumlocutionary adj. circumlocutionist n. circumlocutory adj.
Etymology
ME f. F circumlocution or L circumlocutio (as CIRCUM-, LOCUTION), transl. of Gk PERIPHRASIS
THESAURUS
circumlocution
ambages, anfractuosity, circling, circuition, circuitousness, circuitry, circularity, circulation, circumambages, circumambience, circumambiency, circumambulation, circumbendibus, circumflexion, circummigration, circumnavigation, circumvolution, convolution, crinkle, crinkling, deviance, deviancy, deviation, deviousness, digression, excursion, excursus, flexuosity, flexuousness, gyre, gyring, indirection, intorsion, involution, meander, meandering, obliqueness, orbit, orbiting, periphrase, periphrasis, pleonasm, redundancy, rivulation, roundabout, roundaboutness, rounding, sinuation, sinuosity, sinuousness, slinkiness, snakiness, spiral, spiraling, tautology, torsion, tortility, tortuosity, tortuousness, turn, turning, twisting, undulation, verbality, wave, waving, wheeling, windingROGET THESAURUS
circumlocution
Diffuseness
N diffuseness, amplification, dilating, verbosity, verbiage, cloud of words, copia verborum, flow of words, looseness, Polylogy, tautology, battology, perissology, pleonasm, exuberance, redundancy, thrice-told tale, prolixity, circumlocution, ambages, periphrase, periphrasis, roundabout phrases, episode, expletive, pennya-lining, richness, diffuse, profuse, wordy, verbose, largiloquent, copious, exuberant, pleonastic, lengthy, longsome, long-winded, longspun, long drawn out, spun out, protracted, prolix, prosing, maundering, circumlocutory, periphrastic, ambagious, roundabout, digressive, discursive, excursive, loose, rambling episodic, flatulent, frothy, diffusely, at large, in extenso, about it and about it.For further exploring for "circumlocution" in Webster Dictionary Online
