holophrase
Also found in: Medical, Wikipedia.
holophrase
(ˈhɒləˌfreɪz)n
(Linguistics) linguistics the use of one word to express a whole phrase or concept, or an example of this
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
hol•o•phrase
(ˈhɒl əˌfreɪz, ˈhoʊ lə-)n.
a single word expressing the ideas of a phrase or sentence.
[1895–1900]
hol`o•phras′tic (-ˈfræs tɪk) adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
holophrasis, holophrase
the ability, in certain languages, to express a complex idea or entire sentence in a single word, as the imperative “Stop!” — holophrasm, n. — holophrastic, adj.
See also: Language-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.