paraphrase
/ˈpæɹəfɹeɪz/noun, verb
paraphrase is spelled P-A-R-A-P-H-R-A-S-E: 10 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 1.2 times per million words in written English, the 26,420th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, paraphrase means “A restatement of a text in different words, often to clarify meaning or from memory rather than verbatim” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of paraphrase is paraphrases.
How many letters and syllables are in paraphrase?
| Letters | 10: P-A-R-A-P-H-R-A-S-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 1.2 times per million words; the 26,420th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is paraphrase?
Paraphrase appears 1.2 times per million words in written English, the 26,420th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce paraphrase?
- /ˈpæɹəfɹeɪz/
Paraphrase has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-paraphrase.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of paraphrase
- paraphrases plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- paraphrasing participle, present
- paraphrased participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does paraphrase mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A restatement of a text in different words, often to clarify meaning or from memory rather than verbatim.
Near-synonym: paraphrasis
- 2
ScotlandOne of a certain number of Scripture passages turned into verse for use in the service of praise.
verb
- 1
To restate something as, or to compose a paraphrase. To repeat a written or spoken phrase/quote using different words, often in a simpler and shorter form, or sometimes in a humorous context.
She asked the student to paraphrase the passage.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Paraphrase in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | paraphrase , paraphraser |
| German | Umschreibung, sinngemäße Wiedergabe, Wiedererzählung, Nacherzählung , umschreiben, paraphrasieren |
| Portuguese | paráfrase , parafrasear |
| Spanish | paráfrasis , parafrasear |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does paraphrase come from?
From Middle French paraphrase, from Latin paraphrasis, from Ancient Greek παράφρασις (paráphrasis), equivalent to para- + phrase. Doublet of paraphrasis.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).