English → Latin
“circumlocution” in Latin
circuitiōrotation, revolution; orbit; circumferencecircumlocūtiōcircumlocution, periphrasisambāgēsan indirect, roundabout path; a wandering to and fro, twists and turns; circumlocution, ambiguity, evasion, digression, explicōto unfold, unfurl, uncoil, loosen, undo; to spread out, stretch out, extend, display, deploy; to disentangle, solve, set
The English word circumlocution itself goes back to Latin loquor, through circumlocūtiō.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
circumlocution
periphrasis, circuitio, circuitus eloquendi, circuitus plurium verborum, circumlocutio (all as grammatical technical terms for περιφρασις, Cic., Quint.). ☞ Aroid circumscriptio, amfractus verborum (which in this sense has not the sanction of any old writer), and periphrasis, which is a Grecism. A poetical circumlocution, circumlocutio poetica (Gell.). If our language does not possess the word, we must employ a circumlocution, si non reperitur vox nostras, vel pluribus et per ambitum verborum res enuncianda est (after Suet., Tib., 71, extr). To describe anything by circumlocution, pluribus verbis aliquid exponere or explicare (Cic., Quint.): pluribus et per ambitum verborum aliquid enunciare (Suet., Tib., 71): circuitu plurium verborum ostendere aliquid (Quint.): also simply circumire aliquid (Quint., 8, 2, 17; 12, 10, 32). ☞ Circumscribere with or without verbis is more “to describe, define,” etc.: circumscriptio is rather “a period.” To use a long circumlocution, aliquid copiosa loquacitate circumire.
Beating about the bush, ambages.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for circumlocution?
- The usual Latin words for “circumlocution” are circuitiō, circumlocūtiō, ambāgēs; also explicō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.