Merriam-Webster's word of the day:
circumlocution
Circumlocution means using many words in speech or writing to say something that could be said more clearly and directly with fewer words. Circumlocution can also refer to speech that is intentionally evasive.
1: the use of an unnecessarily large number of words to express an idea
2: evasion in speech
Circumlocution is made of the prefix circum-, meaning “around,” and locutio, meaning “speech.” In essence, circumlocution may be thought of as “roundabout speech.”
For centuries, English writers have used circumlocution with disdain, as a thing to avoid altogether. Charles Dickens used the word to satirize political runarounds in the 1857 novel Little Dorrit with the creation of the fictional Circumlocution Office, a government department that delayed the dissemination of information and just about everything else.
(taken from Merriam-Webster)
To see the word in context or listen to the pronunciation, check the link: https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day (April 17, 2024).
