Definition

Noun: 1. The use of more words than are necessary to convey meaning; redundancy in expression. This is a stylistic or grammatical term for an expression that contains superfluous or repetitive words. While often considered a fault in concise writing, it can be used intentionally for emphasis, clarity, or rhetorical effect.

Usage and Examples

• As a general concept: The sentence "I saw it with my own eyes" is a pleonasm because "saw" already implies using one's eyes.
• For emphasis: "I personally believe..." uses pleonasm for stress, as "believe" is inherently personal.
• As a grammatical feature: In some languages, pleonasm is a standard grammatical construction, such as using a double negative for emphasis in certain dialects.

Advanced Usage and Notes

• Intentional vs. Unintentional: Pleonasm can be a stylistic device (e.g., "free gift") or an unintentional error ("advance planning").
• Distinction from Tautology: While closely related, pleonasm typically refers to redundancy of words in an expression, whereas tautology is a logical redundancy where the same idea is repeated in different words (e.g., "They arrived one after the other in succession").

Variants and Related Words

• Pleonastic (adjective): Characterized by or relating to pleonasm.
  • Example: The pleonastic phrase "added bonus" is common in advertising.

Synonyms

• Redundancy
• Verbosity
• Periphrasis (when it involves a roundabout way of speaking)

Antonyms

• Conciseness
• Brevity
• Succinctness
• Terseness

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "To gild the lily": This idiom describes an act of unnecessary adornment or improvement, which is a conceptual cousin to pleonasm—adding something that is superfluous.

Noun

1. using more words than necessary
   • a tiny little child