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Circumlocution, like its Greek counterpart periphrasis, is a figure of speech where the meaning of a word or phrase is indirectly expressed through several or many words. (Periphrasis is of Greek origin [περίφρασις < peri (περί) "about, around" + phrasis (φράσις) "speech, expression"], while circumlocution is Latin—both meaning "a roundabout manner of speaking".)