circumlocutory

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
25
Words With Friends
31
Letters
14
Pronunciation
/sɜː.kəm.ləʊˈkjuː.tə.ɹi/
See all 2 pronunciations
/sɜː.kəm.ləʊˈkjuː.tə.ɹi/ · /sɝ.kəm.loʊˈkjuː.tɚ.i/

Definition of circumlocutory

1 sense · 1 part of speech · etymology included

adj

  1. Characterised by circumlocution; overly wordy
    “1727, Jonathan Swift (attributed), Martinus Scriblerus, or the Art of Sinking In Poetry Periphrase is another great aid to prolixity; being a diffused circumlocutory manner of expressing a known idea, which should be so mysteriously couched, as to give the reader the pleasure of guessing what it is, that the author can possibly mean; and a strange surprise, when he finds it.”
    “Rachel's talks with the vicar were frequent; and poor little Mrs. William Wylder, who knew not the reason of his visits, fell slowly, and to the good man's entire bewilderment, into a chronic jealousy. It expressed itself enigmatically; it was circumlocutory, sad, and mysterious.”
    “Another common type of error is a circumlocutory error, when the patient describes the item in several words (e.g., describing a beaver as "an animal that eats trees").”

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

From circumlocution + -ory; compare Medieval Latin circumlocūtōrius from Classical Latin circumlocūtiō.

Words you can make from circumlocutory

200+ playable · top: CYCLOTOMIC (21 pts)

Best play cyclotomic 21 points

9-letter words

2 words

8-letter words

3 words

7-letter words

6 words

6-letter words

21 words

5-letter words

49 words

4-letter words

83 words

3-letter words

35 words

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