Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “periphrastic” come from?

Periphrastic comes from Ancient Greek περιφραστικός, derived from περίφρασις, from the verb περιφράζομαι, combining περί and a root from Proto-Indo-European per-.

periphrastic (English): Expressed in more words than are necessary;...

Definitions

  1. Expressed in more words than are necessary;...

Ancestry of “periphrastic”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ancient Greekπεριφραστικός—
2Ancient Greekπερίφρασιςcircumlocution, periphrasis
3Ancient Greekπερῐ-around; very; round about
4New Latinheliumhelium
5Ancient GreekἭλιοςsun
6Ancient GreekτύποςA blow, pressing; The results of a blow: mark,...
7Ancient Greekτύπτωto beat, strike, smite; to beat, strike oneself
8Proto-Indo-European(s)tewp-to push, to stick
9Proto-Indo-European(s)tew-to push, to hit

Words derived from “periphrastic”

  • periphrastically
  • periphrastical
  • nonperiphrastic
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)tew- →