Make Your Point > Archived Issues > PLEONASTIC
Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.
pronounce
PLEONASTIC:
Say it "plee uh NASS tick."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
Our word pleonastic is pretty rare, and pretty scholarly, too.
In fact, you might accuse it of being an ink____ term: that is, a term that's stuffy, showy, scholarly, and overly fancy, as if it were written with a quill.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
"Pleonastic" comes from a Greek word meaning "to be too much: to be more than enough." In English, going back to 1533, we've used some form of this word to describe speech that uses too many words.
So, pleonastic things use too many words to get the idea across.
More specifically, most of the time, something pleonastic is repetitive, saying the same thing twice, either by mistake or on purpose, like the phrases "free gift" and "ATM machine."
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Adjective: "a pleonastic phrase;" "The expression is pleonastic."
Other common forms:
pleonasm(s), pleonastically
how to use it:
Most of the time, you don't need the word "pleonastic," since "repetitive" and "redundant" will do just fine.
But if you need a rare, scholarly, judgmental word, pick "pleonastic."
You might talk about pleonastic words, phrases, expressions, sentences, usage, etc.
examples:
"RSVP abbreviates the French phrase Répondez s’il vous plaît, which means Please reply, as is known by every adult worthy of receiving an invitation to anything good. This category happens to include a few people inclined to pleonastically write, 'Please RSVP.'"
— Troy Patterson, Slate, 5 November 2014
"The phrase 'zephyr breeze,' in the opening stanza, strikes us as a trifle pleonastic; since a zephyr is itself a breeze; not a quality of a breeze."
— H. P. Lovecraft, Writings in the United Amateur, 1915-1922
has this page helped you understand "pleonastic"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "pleonastic" without saying "redundant" or "repetitive."
try it out:
Below is a list of common pleonasms.
Do any of them bug you? Are you guilty of using any of them yourself? Can you think of any others I haven't listed?
* added bonus
* ATM machine
* cease and desist
* consensus of opinion
* each and every
* end result
* free gift
* guesstimation
* new invention
* null and void
* past history
* PIN number
* plan ahead
* please RSVP
* rough estimation
* sum total
* ten AM in the morning
* unexpected surprise
* GPS system (thanks, Eliezer!)
* VIN number (thanks, Jim!)
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game for February is "Piece It Together."
Use your knowledge of the given terms to define a related, ultra-rare term.
For example, you could use your knowledge of CELLULAR and MULTUM IN PARVO ("a lot in a little") to define the ultra-rare PARVOCELLULAR as "small-celled."
To see the answer, scroll all the way down. Enjoy!
Try this one today:
Use INTRANSIGENT and BEN TROVATO to define INTROUVABLE.
review this word:
A. CONCISE.
B. PRECISE.
C. DECISIVE.
2. Larry alerted me to this pleonasm: _____
A. "The La Brea Tar Pits, i.e. The The Tar Tar Pits."
B. "Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says" (Really? Ya think?)
C. "Everything in life that's any fun, as somebody wisely observed, is either immoral, illegal or fattening."
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Our word pleonastic is pretty rare, and pretty scholarly, too.
"Pleonastic" comes from a Greek word meaning "to be too much: to be more than enough." In English, going back to 1533, we've used some form of this word to describe speech that uses too many words.
Part of speech:
Most of the time, you don't need the word "pleonastic," since "repetitive" and "redundant" will do just fine.
"RSVP abbreviates the French phrase Répondez s’il vous plaît, which means Please reply, as is known by every adult worthy of receiving an invitation to anything good. This category happens to include a few people inclined to pleonastically write, 'Please RSVP.'"
Explain the meaning of "pleonastic" without saying "redundant" or "repetitive."
Below is a list of common pleonasms.
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
|