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Periphrastic for Dummies

adjective

pronunciation: ,pɛrə'fræstɪk

What does Periphrastic really mean?

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Hey there! I'm here to help you understand what the word "periphrastic" means. Now, this might sound like a pretty fancy word, but don't worry, we'll break it down together and make it easy to understand.

So, "periphrastic" is an adjective that describes a way of expressing something using more words than necessary. It's like when someone is talking and they use a lot of extra words to explain something instead of getting straight to the point. It's kind of like when you're trying to describe your favorite ice cream flavor, and instead of simply saying "chocolate," you say "it is this super delicious and rich flavor that is made from cocoa beans." See, you used more words to describe the flavor of chocolate!

On the other hand, "periphrastic" can also mean using indirect or roundabout ways to say something. It's like when someone wants to ask you if you want to play soccer, but instead of just asking, they say, "Would you like to engage in a fun and active outdoor activity involving kicking a ball around on a grassy field?" It's a way of saying something without being direct and to the point.

Now, let's imagine you're reading a story and you come across a sentence like this: "She was not able to make it to the gathering due to a prior engagement." The author could have simply said, "She didn't come to the party because she had something else to do," but they used more words to express the same idea. That's an example of a periphrastic expression.

So, in a nutshell, when we say a word or a phrase is periphrastic, it means we're using more words than necessary, either to explain something or to say something indirectly. It's like taking the long route instead of the direct one.

I hope that makes sense! If you have any more questions or need further explanations, feel free to ask. I'm here to help you out!

Revised and Fact checked by Jane Smith on 2023-10-29 19:17:07

Periphrastic In a sentece

Learn how to use Periphrastic inside a sentece

  • Instead of using one word to describe something, Mary used a periphrastic expression by saying, 'That tall man with the glasses and curly hair.'
  • When writing a story, it is more interesting to use periphrastic descriptions like 'The bright and shining sun' instead of just saying 'The sun.'
  • In English, we often form the negative form of a verb using a periphrastic auxiliary verb like 'do not' or 'does not.' For example, 'I do not like ice cream.'
  • If you want to emphasize something, you can use a periphrastic construction like 'I am very hungry' instead of just saying 'I am hungry.'
  • Sometimes, instead of using a direct question, we can use a periphrastic question like 'Do you know where the library is?' instead of 'Where is the library?'

Periphrastic Synonyms

Words that can be interchanged for the original word in the same context.

Periphrastic Similar Words

Words that similar to the original word, but are not synonyms.