Periphrastic

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Periphrastic \Per`i*phras"tic\, Periphrastical
  \Per`i*phras"tic*al\, a. [Gr. ?: cf. F. p['e]riphrastique.]
     Expressing, or expressed, in more words than are necessary;
     characterized by periphrase; circumlocutory.
     [1913 Webster]
  


     {Periphrastic conjugation} (Gram.), a conjugation formed by
        the use of the simple verb with one or more auxiliaries.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  periphrastic
       adj : roundabout and unnecessarily wordy; "had a preference for
             circumlocutious (or circumlocutory) rather than
             forthright expression"; "A periphrastic study in a
             worn-out poetical fashion,/ Leaving one still with the
             intolerable wrestle/ With words and
             meanings."-T.S.Eliot; (`ambagious' is archaic) [syn: {circumlocutious},
              {circumlocutory}, {ambagious}]