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holophrastic

[ hol-uh-fras-tik, hoh-luh- ]
/ ˌhɒl əˈfræs tɪk, ˌhoʊ lə- /

adjective

using or consisting of a single word that functions as a phrase or sentence.
characterized by holophrasis; polysynthetic: a holophrastic language.

QUIZZES

TAKE THIS QUIZ TO SEE WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL PUNCTUATION!

Commas mark divisions in sentences. Periods end declarative sentences. Apostrophes show possession. Easy, right? Well, punctuation can get pretty tricky—fast. Think you got what it takes to be a punctuation expert? Take our quiz to prove it!
Question 1 of 10
Which of the options below is the best punctuation for the sentence? It__s your turn to pick the movie __ but your sister gets to pick the board game we _ re going to play.
Its your turn to pick the movie but your sister gets to pick the board game we’re going to play.
It’s your turn to pick the movie but your sister gets to pick the board game were going to play.
It’s your turn to pick the movie, but your sister gets to pick the board game we’re going to play.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of holophrastic

1855–60; holo- + -phrastic; see periphrastic

Words nearby holophrastic

holon, holophane, holophote, holophrase, holophrasis, holophrastic, holophyte, holophytic, holoplankton, holopneustic, holoprosencephaly
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for holophrastic

British Dictionary definitions for holophrastic

holophrastic
/ (ˌhɒləˈfræstɪk) /

adjective

denoting the stage in a child's acquisition of syntax when most utterances are single words
(of languages) tending to express in one word what would be expressed in several words in other languages; polysynthetic

Word Origin for holophrastic

C19: from holo- + Greek phrastikos expressive, from phrazein to express
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012