circumlocution
pronunciation
How to pronounce circumlocution in British English:
UK [ˌsɜ:kəmləˈkju:ʃn]
How to pronounce circumlocution in American English:
US [ˌsɜrkəmləˈkjuʃn]
-
- Noun:
- a style that involves indirect ways of expressing things
- an indirect way of expressing something
Word Origin
- circumlocution (n.)
- c. 1400, from Latin circumlocutionem (nominative circumlocutio) "a speaking around" (the topic), from circum- "around" (see circum-) + locutionem (nominative locutio) "a speaking," noun of action from past participle stem of loqui "to speak" (see locution). A loan-translation of Greek periphrasis (see periphrasis).
Example
- 1. With typical circumlocution , king abdullah of saudi arabia recently said as much .
- 2. Under the market economy , the genius of the republic of letters was increasingly fickle , the literary spirit deviated and descended , creative writing displayed circumlocution and speedy commercialization .
- 3. Published just after the second world war-that is , just after most of the world had been nearly destroyed by ideologues-the essay said that much political language , by means of circumlocution and euphemism and other doctorings , was " designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable . "