pleonasm English · revision 1281

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈpliː.əˌnæz.əm/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la-lat|pleonasmus]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|grc|πλεονασμός|tr=pleonasmós|t=excess, redundancy]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from ''pleonázein'' “to be excessive, superfluous”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from ''pléōn'' “more”.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In grammar and rhetoric, the use of more words than are needed to express a meaning (1586).^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Puttenham called it ''too full speech'' in 1589, giving the example “I heard it with mine ears”.^(Etymonline) Fowler noted that it is not necessarily a fault and can be used effectively for emphasis.^(Etymonline) The general sense of superfluity is from 1617,^(OED 1989) and in pathology it meant an excessive growth (1858).^(OED 1989) ''Pleonastic'' is recorded from 1778.^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1586 – redundancy of expression.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1589 – Puttenham's “too full speech”.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1617 – superfluity in general.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1778 – ''pleonastic''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The use of more words than are needed to express an idea; [[redundancy]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An instance of this, such as ''free gift'' or ''true fact''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A redundant word or phrase.^(AHD)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[pleonastic]]

+ * [[pleonastically]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[circumlocution]]

+ * [[tautology]]

+ * [[plus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}