Main Entry:

pe·riph·ra·sis

Pronunciation:

\pə-ˈri-frə-səs\

Function:

noun

Inflected Form(s):

plural pe·riph·ra·ses \-ˌsēz\

Etymology:

Latin, from Greek, from periphrazein to express periphrastically, from peri- + phrazein to point out

Date:

1533

1 : use of a longer phrasing in place of a possible shorter form of expression 2 : an instance of periphrasis