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PLEONASM
PLEONASM. A traditional term for the use of more words than necessary, either for effect or more usually as a fault of style, and any instance of that use, as in: They both got one each rather than They both got one or They got one each; That's a more superior product (superior already denotes ‘more’); It's a really new innovation (an innovation is already new). Some common pleonasms attract little comment, such as free gift (gifts are by definition free). Many famous writers have been pleonastic, including Shakespeare's double superlative ‘The most unkindest cut of all’ (Julius Caesar). See CIRCUMLOCUTION, PERIPHRASIS, REDUNDANCY, TAUTOLOGY.
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TOM McARTHUR. "PLEONASM." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. TOM McARTHUR. "PLEONASM." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O29-PLEONASM.html TOM McARTHUR. "PLEONASM." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O29-PLEONASM.html |
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pleonasm
ple·o·nasm / ˈplēəˌnazəm/ • n. the use of more words than are necessary to convey meaning (e.g., see with one's eyes), either as a fault of style or for emphasis. DERIVATIVES: ple·o·nas·tic / ˌplēəˈnastik/ adj. ple·o·nas·ti·cal·ly / ˌplēəˈnastik(ə)lē/ adv. |
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"pleonasm." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "pleonasm." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-pleonasm.html "pleonasm." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-pleonasm.html |
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pleonasm
pleonasm The repetition of an idea both in Hebrew poetry, as Ps. 8: 4, and in the gospels: e.g. Mark 7: 21; but when Matt. follows Mark, the superfluous words ‘from within’ are omitted by Matt. 15: 19, thus eliminating Mark's pleonasm.
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W. R. F. BROWNING. "pleonasm." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. W. R. F. BROWNING. "pleonasm." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-pleonasm.html W. R. F. BROWNING. "pleonasm." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-pleonasm.html |
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pleonasm
pleonasm (rhet.) redundancy of expression. XVII (in L. form XVI). — late L. pleonasmus — Gr. pleonasmós, f. pleonázein be superfluous, f. pléon more, compar. of polú much.
So pleonastic XVII. |
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T. F. HOAD. "pleonasm." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "pleonasm." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-pleonasm.html T. F. HOAD. "pleonasm." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-pleonasm.html |
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pleonasm
pleonasm, a rhetorical figure characterized by the use of superfluous words, as in ‘I saw the wound, I saw it with mine eyes’ (Romeo and Juliet, iii. ii. 52).
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MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "pleonasm." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "pleonasm." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-pleonasm.html MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "pleonasm." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-pleonasm.html |
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pleonasm
pleonasm •chasm, spasm
•enthusiasm • orgasm • sarcasm
•ectoplasm • cytoplasm • iconoclasm
•cataplasm • pleonasm • phantasm
•besom • dirigisme
•abysm, arrivisme, chrism, chrisom, ism, prism, schism
•Shiism, theism
•Maoism, Taoism
•egoism • truism • Babism • cubism
•sadism • nudism • Sufism • ageism
•holism • cataclysm • monism • papism
•verism • aneurysm • purism • Nazism
•sexism • racism • paroxysm • autism
•macrocosm • microcosm • bosom
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"pleonasm." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "pleonasm." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-pleonasm.html "pleonasm." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-pleonasm.html |
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