Tautological

tau·tol·o·gy  (tô-tl-j)

n. pl. tau·tol·o·gies

1.

a. Needless repetition of the same sense in different words; redundancy.

b. An instance of such repetition.

2. Logic An empty or vacuous statement composed of simpler statements in a fashion that makes it logically true whether the simpler statements are factually true or false; for example, the statement Either it will rain tomorrow or it will not rain tomorrow.

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[Late Latin tautologia, from Greek tautologi, from tautologos, redundant : tauto-, tauto- + logos, saying; see -logy.]

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tauto·logi·cal (tôtl-j-kl), tauto·logic (-k) adj.

tauto·logi·cal·ly adv.

Thesaurus

Adj.

1.

tautological - repetition of same sense in different words; "`a true fact' and `a free gift' are pleonastic expressions"; "the phrase `a beginner who has just started' is tautological"; "at the risk of being redundant I return to my original proposition"- J.B.Conant pleonastic, tautologic, redundant prolix - tediously prolonged or tending to speak or write at great length; "editing a prolix manuscript"; "a prolix lecturer telling you more than you want to know"