per·i·phras·tic (p r  -fr s t k)adj. 1. Having the nature of or characterized by periphrasis. 2. Grammar Constructed by using an auxiliary word rather than an inflected form; for example, of father is the periphrastic possessive case of father but father's is the inflected possessive case, and did say is the periphrastic past tense of say but said is the inflected past tense. per i·phrasti·cal·ly adv. |
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