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periphrastic verse

Form
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Verse that uses periphrasis—roundabout or euphemistic expression—to create nuance, delay, or layered interpretation.

Detailed Definition
Periphrastic verse employs roundabout or indirect expression—using many words where few would suffice—to create emphasis, irony, or ornamental effect; common in Augustan satire or baroque poetry, this style can signal evasion, politeness, or rhetorical flourish, often contrasting with the directness valued in modernist aesthetics.
Example
Example in poetry:
Verse that uses indirect, roundabout phrasing (periphrasis) to express a simple idea; The description of a clock as "the metallic chronometer of the twelve hours" instead of simply "the clock"; A style that avoids direct nouns and verbs, favoring elaborate, descriptive substitutions; The use of lengthy, descriptive phrases to name a common object or person.
Additional Notes
periphrastic verse: Poetry that is characterized by periphrasis (using many words where one would suffice); often associated with overly formal, ornate, or evasive language.
Also Known As
circumlocutory verse roundabout verse indirect verse
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