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phatic

[ fat-ik ]

adjective

  1. denoting speech used to express or create an atmosphere of shared feelings, goodwill, or sociability rather than to impart information:

    phatic communion.

phatic

/ ˈfætɪk /

adjective

  1. (of speech, esp of conversational phrases) used to establish social contact and to express sociability rather than specific meaning

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Word History and Origins

Origin of phatic1

1923; probably < Greek phat ( ós ) spoken, capable of being spoken (verbid of phánai to speak; prophet ) + -ic; coined (in phrase phatic communion ) by Bronislaw Malinowski

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Word History and Origins

Origin of phatic1

C20: from Greek phat ( os ) spoken + -ic

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petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr]

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phatPh.B.

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