circumlocutionary
noun
1.
a roundabout or indirect way of speaking; the use of more words than necessary to express an idea.
2.
a roundabout expression.
Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin circumlocūtiōn- (stem of circumlocūtiō). See circum-, locution
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin circumlocūtiōn- (stem of circumlocūtiō). See circum-, locution
Related forms
cir·cum·loc·u·to·ry 
[sur-kuh
m-lok-yuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] , cir·cum·lo·cu·tion·al, cir·cum·lo·cu·tion·ar·y, adjective
[sur-kuhm-lok-yuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] , cir·cum·lo·cu·tion·al, cir·cum·lo·cu·tion·ar·y, adjective un·cir·cum·loc·u·to·ry, adjective
Synonyms
1. rambling, meandering, verbosity, prolixity.
1. rambling, meandering, verbosity, prolixity.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To circumlocutionary
00:10
Circumlocutionary
is always a great word to know.
So is doohickey. Does it mean:
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
circumlocution (ˌsɜːkəmləˈkjuːʃən) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | an indirect way of expressing something |
| 2. | an indirect expression |
| circumlocutory | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
circumlocution
c.1510, from L. circumlocutionem (a loan-translation of Gk. periphrasis) "speaking around" (the topic), from circum- "around" + locutionem (nom. locutio) "a speaking," from stem of loqui "to speak."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary
circumlocution [(sur-kuhm-loh-kyooh-shuhn)]Roundabout speech or writing: “The driveway was not unlike that military training device known as an obstacle course” is a circumlocution for “The driveway resembled an obstacle course.” Circumlocution comes from Latin words meaning “speaking around.”
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Nearby Words
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