View synonyms for tautology

tautology

[ taw-tol-uh-jee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, plural tau·tol·o·gies.

needless repetition of an idea, especially in words other than those of the immediate context, without imparting additional force or clearness, as in “widow woman.”
an instance of such repetition.
Logic.
1. a compound propositional form all of whose instances are true, as “A or not A.”
2. an instance of such a form, as “This candidate will win or will not win.”

tautology

/ ˌtɔːtəˈlɒdʒɪkəl; tɔːˈtɒlədʒɪ /

noun

the use of words that merely repeat elements of the meaning already conveyed, as in the sentence Will these supplies be adequate enough? in place of Will these supplies be adequate?
See contingency, inconsistency
logic a statement that is always true, esp a truth-functional expression that takes the value true for all combinations of values of its components, as in either the sun is out or the sun is not out Compare inconsistency contingency

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Derived Forms

ˌtautoˈlogically, adverb
tautological, adjective

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Other Words From

tau·to·log·i·cal [tawt-l-, oj, -i-k, uh, l], tau·to·log·ic tau·tol·o·gous [taw-, tol, -, uh, -g, uh, s], adjective
tau·tol·o·gist noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of tautology¹

First recorded in 1570–80; from Late Latin tautologia, from Greek tautología “repetition of something already said” (a term in rhetoric); tauto-, -logy

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Word History and Origins

Origin of tautology¹

C16: from Late Latin tautologia, from Greek, from tautologos

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Example Sentences

Mainly because it is, as my annoying college roommate would term it, a tautology.

From The Daily Beast

Now it strikes me that there is quite as much tautology in "unsane lunes" as in the double epithet, "dangerous, unsafe."

From Project Gutenberg

Therefore there is a certain amount of tautology in denouncing the "master class" for its monstrous abuses.

From Project Gutenberg

"Love a beautiful person nobly, but be sure you love her," says our social wisdom with interesting tautology.

From Project Gutenberg

Look too at the gross fibs in all indictments for assault and battery, to say nothing of their tautology.

From Project Gutenberg

Under this form it is in its turn out of the reach of experiment and reduces to a sort of tautology.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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tautologize tautomer

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