ETYM Latin circumlocutio, from circumloqui, -locutus, to make use of circumlocution; circum + loqui to speak. Related to Loquacious.
1. A style that involves indirect ways of expressing things; SYN. periphrasis.
2. An indirect way of expressing something; SYN. indirect expression.
Roundabout phrase or talk.
Roundabout, verbose way of speaking or writing when someone tries to appear impressive or is being deliberately unclear, perhaps to disguise the truth.
Charles Dickens in the novel Little Dorrit invented the Circumlocution Office as a satirical representation of a typical government department.
ETYM Latin elocutio, from eloqui, elocutus, to speak out: cf. French élocution. Related to Eloquent.
An expert manner of speaking involving control of voice and gesture.
ETYM French éloquence, Latin eloquentia, from eloquens. Related to Eloquent.
Powerful and effective language; SYN. fluency.
An expressive style that uses excessive words; SYN. verbosity.
ETYM Latin verbositas: cf. French verbosité.
The quality or state of being verbose; the use of more words than are necessary; prolixity; wordiness; verbiage.
ETYM Latin volubilitas: cf. French volubilité.
The quality or state of being voluble (in any of the senses of the adjective).