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

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of phatic¹

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