tautology

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.

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tautology

Noun

pl -gies the use of words which merely repeat something already stated, as in reverse back [Greek tautologia]

tautological
tautologous adj

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tautology

needless repetition of a concept in word or phrase; redundancy or pleonasm. Also tautologism. — tautologist, n. — tautological, tautologous, adj.

See also: Language

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	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