Main Entry: ple·o·nasm

Pronunciation: \ˈplē-ə-ˌna-zəm\

Function: noun

Etymology: Late Latin pleonasmus, from Greek pleonasmos, from pleonazein to be excessive, from pleiōn, pleōn more — more at plus

Date: 1610

1 : the use of more words than those necessary to denote mere sense (as in the man he said) : redundancy
2 : an instance or example of pleonasm

— ple·o·nas·tic \ˌplē-ə-ˈnas-tik\ adjective

— ple·o·nas·ti·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb