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tautology

   Also found in: Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.04 sec.
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.

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

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

tautology [tɔːˈtɒlədʒɪ]
n pl -gies
1. (Linguistics / Grammar) the use of words that merely repeat elements of the meaning already conveyed, as in the sentence Will these supplies be adequate enough? in place of Will these supplies be adequate?
2. (Philosophy / Logic) Logic a statement that is always true, esp a truth-functional expression that takes the value true for all combinations of values of its components, as in either the sun is out or the sun is not out Compare inconsistency [3] contingency [5]
[from Late Latin tautologia, from Greek, from tautologos]
tautological  [ˌtɔːtəˈlɒdʒɪkəl], tautologic, tautologous adj
tautologically , tautologously adv

tautology
needless repetition of a concept in word or phrase; redundancy or pleonasm. Also tautologism. — tautologist, n.tautological, tautologous, adj.
See also: Language
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.tautology - (logic) a statement that is necessarily true; "the statement `he is brave or he is not brave' is a tautology"
logic - the branch of philosophy that analyzes inference
true statement, truth - a true statement; "he told the truth"; "he thought of answering with the truth but he knew they wouldn't believe it"
2.tautology - useless repetition; "to say that something is `adequate enough' is a tautology"
repetitiousness, repetitiveness - verboseness resulting from excessive repetitions

tautology
noun repetition, redundancy, verbiage, iteration, verbosity, repetitiveness, prolixity, repetitiousness, pleonasm The tautology and circularity of this argument were swept aside.
Translations
tautology [tɔːˈtɒlədʒɪ] Ntautología f
tautology [tɔːˈtɒlədʒi] ntautologie f
tautology
nTautologie f, → weißer Schimmel (inf)
tautology [tɔːˈtɒlədʒɪ] ntautologia
tautology [tɔːˈtɒlədʒɪ] ntautologia


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
The declaration itself, though it may be chargeable with tautology or redundancy, is at least perfectly harmless.
Methodical, or well arranged, or very well delivered, it could not be expected to be; but it contained, when separated from all the feebleness and tautology of the narration, a substance to sink her spirit especially with the corroborating circumstances, which her own memory brought in favour of Mr.
I had said the same thing over and over again to see whether the wilful tautology would cause the secretary to open his eyes.
 
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