World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English DictionariesCircumlocutory
/ˌsɜːr.kəmˈlɒk.jə.tər.i/Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
Tending to use indirect, wordy, or roundabout language instead of speaking or writing plainly.
"The politician's circumlocutory response failed to answer the direct question from the journalist." - 2
Characterized by or marked by circumlocution; consisting of tedious periphrasis.
"Legal contracts are frequently criticized for their unnecessarily circumlocutory phrasing."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
Derived from the Latin 'circumlocutio', formed from 'circum' (around) plus 'locutio' (speaking), entering English in the 17th century. It historically reflects rhetorical styles characterized by talking in circles or using excessively complex phrasing to convey a simple point.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Circumlocutory"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Circumlocutory" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
circonlocutoire
Transliteration: /siʁ.kɔ̃.lɔ.ky.twaʁ/
"Son discours était si circonlocutoire qu'il a endormi l'auditoire."
umschweifig
Transliteration: /ˈʊmˌʃvaɪfɪç/
"Er gab eine sehr umschweifige Antwort auf die einfache Frage."
cirlocutorio
Transliteration: /tʃir.ko.loˈku.to.rjo/
Script: circolutorio
"Il suo stile di scrittura è eccessivamente circolutorio."
circunlocutorio
Transliteration: /siɾ.kum.lo.kuˈto.ɾjo/
"El abogado empleó un lenguaje circunlocutorio para confundir al jurado."
circunlocutório
Transliteration: /siɾ.kũ.lo.kuˈtɔ.ɾju/
"O relatório apresentava argumentos excessivamente circunlocutórios."
घुमावदार
Transliteration: ghūmāvdār
Script: घुमावदार बातचीत
"उसकी घुमावदार भाषा के कारण कोई भी उसका मतलब नहीं समझ पाया।"
绕圈子的
Transliteration: rào quān zi de
"他的回答非常绕圈子，根本没有切入主题。"
완곡한
Transliteration: wangokhan
Script: 완곡한 표현
"그의 완곡한 설명은 핵심을 흐리게 만들었다."
回りくどい
Transliteration: mawarikudoi
"彼の回りくどい言い方は、聞いている人をイライラさせた。"
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