periphrastic
/ˌpɛ.ɹɪˈfɹæ.stik/
"periphrastic" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“periphrastic” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as an adjective - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 12
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Expressed in more words than are necessary.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | periphrastic |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adjective |
| IPA | /ˌpɛ.ɹɪˈfɹæ.stik/ |
| Letters | 12 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “periphrastic” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for periphrastic is 12 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌpɛ.ɹɪˈfɹæ.stik/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Zero misspellings are on record for periphrastic in our index, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Ancient Greek περιφραστικός (periphrastikós), from περίφρασις (períphrasis, “periphrasis”). The correct English form is periphrastic, spelled P-E-R-I-P-H-R-A-S-T-I-C.
Definition
- 1Expressed in more words than are necessary.
- 2Indirect in naming an entity; circumlocutory.
- 3Characterized by periphrasis.
Etymology
Borrowed from Ancient Greek περιφραστικός (periphrastikós), from περίφρασις (períphrasis, “periphrasis”).
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "periphrastic"?
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Using “periphrastic”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is P-E-R-I-P-H-R-A-S-T-I-C - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˌpɛ.ɹɪˈfɹæ.stik/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.