periphrastic

[ per-uh-fras-tik ]

/ ˌpɛr əˈfræs tɪk /

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See synonyms for: periphrastic / periphrastically on Thesaurus.com

adjective

circumlocutory; roundabout.

Grammar. noting a construction of two or more words having the same syntactic function as an inflected word, as of Mr. Smith in the son of Mr. Smith, which is equivalent to Mr. Smith's in Mr. Smith's son.

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Origin of periphrastic

1795–1805; <Greek periphrastikós, derivative of periphrázein to use periphrasis. See peri-, phrase, -tic

OTHER WORDS FROM periphrastic

per·i·phras·ti·cal·ly, adverbun·per·i·phras·tic, adjectiveun·per·i·phras·ti·cal·ly, adverb

Words nearby periphrastic

peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumour, peripheral vision, peripheric, periphery, periphrasis, periphrastic, periphyton, periplasm, periproct, peripteral, periptery

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use periphrastic in a sentence

This was supplied, in the common periphrastic manner, by the help of the preposition and the article.
The Verbalist|Thomas Embly Osmun, (AKA Alfred Ayres)
When the present is found not to be distinctive enough, periphrastic forms come in.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 14, Slice 4|Various
This tendency, together with periphrastic instead of verbal conjugation, continued to the end.
Myths and Legends of Ancient Egypt|Lewis Spence
In conversation they generally use a periphrastic epithet, such as the All-Good.
The Coming Race|Edward Bulwer Lytton

As poetry it does not measure up to Aasen; as translation it is periphrastic, arbitrary, not at all faithful.
An Essay Toward a History of Shakespeare in Norway|Martin Brown Ruud

British Dictionary definitions for periphrastic

periphrastic

/ (ˌpɛrɪˈfræstɪk) /

adjective

employing or involving periphrasis

expressed in two or more words rather than by an inflected form of one: used esp of a tense of a verb where the alternative element is an auxiliary verb. For example, He does go and He will go involve periphrastic tenses

Derived forms of periphrastic

periphrastically, adverb

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

periphrastic

Origin of periphrastic

OTHER WORDS FROM periphrastic

Words nearby periphrastic

Words related to periphrastic

How to use periphrastic in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for periphrastic

Derived forms of periphrastic