phraseology

[frey-zee-ol-uh-jee]

noun

1. manner or style of verbal expression; characteristic language.

   legal phraseology.

2. expressions; phrases.

   obscure phraseology.

phraseology

/ ˌfreɪzɪˈɒlədʒɪ, ˌfreɪzɪəˈlɒdʒɪkəl /

noun

1. the manner in which words or phrases are used

2. a set of phrases used by a particular group of people

Other Word Forms

• phraseological adjective
• phraseologic adjective
• phraseologically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of phraseology¹

First recorded in 1600–10; from New Latin phraseologia (erroneously for unattested Greek phrasiología ), coined by German humanist Michael Neander (1525–95); phrase, -o-, -logy

Synonym Study

See diction.

Example Sentences

Former England captain Alan Shearer said some of the phraseology was confusing and has called for change: "Proximity... obvious position... not in an obvious position... natural," he said.

Read more on BBC

Former England captain Alan Shearer pointed to some of the phraseology that has come into the football lexicon around handball as he called for change.

Read more on BBC

The victim's mother, a college teacher, recognised the letter's writing style and phraseology as that of a colleague, Meher, a former principal she had replaced.

Read more on BBC

And we have already had senior figures on both sides talking about last-minute tweaks and that old favourite in the phraseology of EU negotiations: "Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed."

Read more on BBC

He also cautioned that he was unsure of the government's definition of a working person, adding: "We’ve got to find a different phraseology".

Read more on BBC