cir·cum·lo·cu·tion

(sûr′kəm-lō-kyo͞o′shən)

1. The use of unnecessarily wordy language, especially in being vague or evasive.

2. A roundabout or evasive expression: Circumlocutions like "go to the bathroom" are often used in place of words that are considered vulgar or indelicate.

[Middle English circumlocucioun, from Latin circumlocūtiō, circumlocūtiōn-, from circumlocūtus, past participle of circumloquī : circum-, circum- + loquī, to speak; see tolk^w- in Indo-European roots.]

cir′cum·loc′u·to′ri·ly (-lŏk′yə-tôr′ə-lē) adv.

cir′cum·loc′u·to′ry (-tôr′ē) adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

circumlocution

(ˌsɜːkəmləˈkjuːʃən)

1. an indirect way of expressing something

2. an indirect expression

circumlocutory adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cir•cum•lo•cu•tion

(ˌsɜr kəm loʊˈkyu ʃən)

n.

1. a roundabout or indirect way of speaking; the use of more words than necessary to express an idea.

2. a roundabout expression.

[1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin circumlocūtiō]

cir`cum•loc′u•to`ry (-ˈlɒk yəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i) adj.

circumlocution

An indirect way of saying something, or the use of indirect modes of expression.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	circumlocution - a style that involves indirect ways of expressing things ambage, periphrasis verboseness, verbosity - an expressive style that uses excessive or empty words
	2.	circumlocution - an indirect way of expressing something indirect expression equivocation, evasion - a statement that is not literally false but that cleverly avoids an unpleasant truth

circumlocution

noun indirectness, redundancy, euphemism, beating about the bush (informal), wordiness, diffuseness, prolixity, discursiveness He is long-winded and prone to circumlocution in his public speeches.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

périphrase

arzigogolo circonlocuzione

circumlocution

[ˌsɜːkəmləˈkjuːʃən] N → circunloquio m, rodeo m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

circumlocution

[ˌsɜː^rkəmləʊˈkjuːʃ^ən] n → circonlocution f, périphrase f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

circumlocution

n → Weitschweifigkeit f; (= evasiveness) → Umschreibung f, → Drumherumreden nt (inf)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

circumlocution

[ˌsɜːkəmləˈkjuːʃ/ən] n (frm) → circonlocuzione f

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

If I might offer any apology for so exaggerated a fiction as the Barnacles and the Circumlocution Office, I would seek it in the common experience of an Englishman, without presuming to mention the unimportant fact of my having done that violence to good manners, in the days of a Russian war, and of a Court of Inquiry at Chelsea.

View in context

The circumlocution has been in vain--you must have guessed it--Ikey adored Rosy.

View in context

"What circumlocution! How long you are before you tell me what I most wish to know?"

View in context

bien!" interrupted I--for all this chatter and circumlocution began to bore me very much; "I will consult M.

View in context

The Moors have a small opinion of England, France, and America, and put their representatives to a deal of red-tape circumlocution before they grant them their common rights, let alone a favor.

View in context

Polite circumlocution would be evidently thrown away on Mrs.

View in context

Then, without circumlocution or apology, first pronounced the word "Standish," and placing the unknown engine, already described, to his mouth, from which he drew a high, shrill sound, that was followed by an octave below, from his own voice, he commenced singing the following words, in full, sweet, and melodious tones, that set the music, the poetry, and even the uneasy motion of his ill- trained beast at defiance; "How good it is, O see, And how it pleaseth well, Together e'en in unity, For brethren so to dwell.

View in context

She had a good honest glance and used no circumlocution.

View in context

It put me to the pains of many circumlocutions, to give my master a right idea of what I spoke; for their language does not abound in variety of words, because their wants and passions are fewer than among us.

I had made use of many circumlocutions in describing to him the nature of the several crimes for which most of our crew had been forced to fly their country.

View in context

His decent reticence is branded as hypocrisy, his circumlocutions are roundly called lies, and his silence is vilified as treachery.

View in context

She found him so perfectly indifferent, that she was almost afraid to enter into the point with him; but, however, after some other circumlocutions she told him that by a strange and unaccountable accident she came to have a particular knowledge of the late unhappy adventure he had fallen into, and that in such a manner, that there was nobody in the world but herself and him that were acquainted with it, no, not the very person that was with him.

View in context