Most often, pleonasm is understood to mean a word or phrase which is useless, clichéd, or repetitive, but a pleonasm can also be simply an unremarkable use of idiom. It can aid in achieving a specific linguistic effect, be it social, poetic or literary.

Pleonasm, which stems (via Late Latin) from the Greek verb pleonazein, meaning "to be excessive," is a fancy word for "redundancy." It's related to our words plus and plenty, and ultimately it goes back to the Greek word for "more," which is pleōn. Pleonasm is commonly considered a fault of style, but it can also serve a useful function.

May 2, 2023 · Pleonasm means using more words than are necessary. Pleonasm shows up in phrases like “I saw it with my own eyes” (who else’s eyes could… Learn the definition of pleonasm, the different types, and how this literary device differs from tautology, with examples.

Definition of Pleonasm. Pleonasm is derived from a Greek word that means “excess.” It is a rhetorical device that can be defined as the use of two or more words (a phrase) to express an idea. These words are redundant, such as in these examples of pleonasm” “burning fire,” and “black darkness.”

Dec 4, 2024 · Pleonasm definition. Pleonasm is using superfluous, redundant, or unnecessary words to communicate a message. The word “pleonasm” originates from the Greek word “pleonazō,” which means “to be excessive.”

A pleonasm is when one uses too many words to express a message. A pleonasm can either be a mistake or a tool for emphasis. Pleonasm (pronounced ˈplē-ə-ˌna-zəm) is derived from the Greek phrase pleonasmos meaning “excessive.”

PLEONASM definition: 1. the use of more words than are needed to express a meaning, done either unintentionally or for…. Learn more.

Apr 14, 2017 · Pleonasm is the use of more words than are necessary to make a point. Pleonasm may serve as a rhetorical strategy to emphasize an idea or image. Used unintentionally, it may also be viewed as a stylistic fault.

The word “pleonasm” comes from the Greek meaning “excess.” It occurs when a writer uses synonymous, or also synonymous, words together to define an experience, idea, person, etc. One of the two words (or more depending on the example) is …

Jan 2, 2025 · Learn what pleonasm is, see common examples, and discover how to avoid redundant writing. Compare pleonasm vs tautology and improve your writing today!