periphrastic

(per′i frastik)

adjective

  1. of, like, or expressed in periphrasis
  2. Gram. formed with a particle or an auxiliary verb instead of by inflection (Ex.: the phrase did sing used for the inflected form sang)

Origin: ML periphrasticus < Gr periphrastikos

Related Forms:

See periphrastic in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective
  1. Having the nature of or characterized by periphrasis.
  2. Grammar Constructed by using an auxiliary word rather than an inflected form; for example, of father is the periphrastic possessive case of father but father's is the inflected possessive case, and did say is the periphrastic past tense of say but said is the inflected past tense.

Related Forms:

  • perˌi·phrasˈti·cal·ly adverb

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