pleonasm
[ plee-uh-naz-uh m ]
/ ˈpli əˌnæz əm /
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.
QUIZZES
CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THESE WORDS FROM "LITTLE WOMEN"
"Little Women" may be a classic, but that doesn't mean we all know the meanings of the vocab words from the book. Can you define these words correctly and make Jo proud?
Question 1 of 10
earnest
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, pleonosteosis, pleopod, pleoptics, plerion, plerocercoid
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for pleonastic
British Dictionary definitions for pleonastic
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 pleonastic
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.