Definition of PLEONASM

pleonasm

Plural: pleonasms

Noun

  • The use of more words than necessary; redundancy.
  • using more words than necessary
  • Redundancy in wording.
  • A phrase involving pleonasm; a phrase containing one or more words which are redundant because their meaning is expressed elsewhere in the phrase.

Examples

  • His attempt to play ’AN UNNECESSARY PLEONASM’ on the board was met with a challenge.

Origin / Etymology

Learned borrowing from Late Latin pleonasmus, from Ancient Greek πλεονασμός (pleonasmós), from πλεονάζω (pleonázō, “to be superfluous”), from πλείων (pleíōn, “more”).

Scrabble Score: 12

pleonasm: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
pleonasm: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
pleonasm: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 16

pleonasm: valid Words With Friends Word