periphrasis

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)The use of a longer expression instead of a shorter one with a similar meaning, for example "I am going to" instead of "I will".
2. (countable, uncountable)Expressing a grammatical meaning (such as a tense) using a syntactic construction rather than morphological marking.

   “Language learners sometimes use periphrases like "did go" where a native speaker would use "went".”

   “Native speakers use periphrases like "did not go" where a language learner might use "went not".”

3. (countable, rhetoric, uncountable)The substitution of a descriptive word or phrase for a proper name (a type of circumlocution).

   “Periphrasis a single thought expands, And uses many words for what but few demands.”

   “The "glen," or the "brake of the lion," is Pindar's favourite periphrasis for Nemea.”

4. (countable, rhetoric, uncountable)The use of a proper name as a shorthand to stand for qualities associated with it.