pleonasm
[ plee-uh-naz-uhm ]
/ ˈpli əˌnæz əm /
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noun
the use of more words than are necessary to express an idea; redundancy.
an instance of this, as free gift or true fact.
a redundant word or expression.
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Origin of pleonasm
1580–90; <Late Latin pleonasmus<Greek pleonasmós redundancy, surplus, derivative of pleonázein to be or have more than enough, itself derivative of pleíōn more (see pleo-)
OTHER WORDS FROM pleonasm
ple·o·nas·tic, adjectiveple·o·nas·ti·cal·ly, adverbWords nearby pleonasm
pleomastia, pleomorphic, pleomorphic lipoma, pleomorphism, pleon, pleonasm, pleonastic, pleonosteosis, pleopod, pleoptics, plerion
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
How to use pleonasm in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for pleonasm
pleonasm
/ (ˈpliːəˌnæzəm) /
noun rhetoric
the use of more words than necessary or an instance of this, such as a tiny little child
a word or phrase that is superfluous
Derived forms of pleonasm
pleonastic, adjectivepleonastically, adverbWord Origin for pleonasm
C16: from Latin pleonasmus, from Greek pleonasmos excess, from pleonazein to be redundant
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Medical definitions for pleonasm
pleonasm
[ plē′ə-năz′əm ]
n.
An excess in the number or size of parts.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.