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.
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, adjective ple·o·nas·ti·cal·ly, adverbWords nearby pleonasm
pleomastia,
pleomorphic,
pleomorphic lipoma,
pleomorphism,
pleon,
pleonasm,
pleonosteosis,
pleopod,
pleoptics,
plerion,
plerocercoid
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, adjective pleonastically, adverbWord Origin for pleonasm
C16: from Latin
pleonasmus, from Greek
pleonasmos excess, from
pleonazein to be redundant
Medical definitions for pleonastic
pleonasm
[ plē′ə-năz′əm ]
n.
An excess in the number or size of parts.