cir·cum·lo·cu·tion  (sûr′kəm-lō-kyo͞o′shən)
n.
1. The use of unnecessarily wordy language, especially in being vague or evasive.
2. A roundabout or evasive expression: Circumlocutions like “go to the bathroom” are often used in place of words that are considered vulgar or indelicate.

[Middle English circumlocucioun, from Latin circumlocūtiō, circumlocūtiōn-, from circumlocūtus, past participle of circumloquī : circum-, circum- + loquī, to speak; see tolkw- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

cir′cum·loc′u·to′ri·ly (-lŏk′yə-tôr′ə-lē) adv.
cir′cum·loc′u·to′ry (-tôr′ē) adj.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
circumlocution (ˌsɜːkəmləˈkjuːʃən)
n
1. an indirect way of expressing something
2. an indirect expression
circumlocutory adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
cir•cum•lo•cu•tion (ˌsɜr kəm loʊˈkyu ʃən)

n.
1. a roundabout or indirect way of speaking; the use of more words than necessary to express an idea.
2. a roundabout expression.
[1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin circumlocūtiō]
cir`cum•loc′u•to`ry (-ˈlɒk yəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i) adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
circumlocution
An indirect way of saying something, or the use of indirect modes of expression.
circumlocution – an indirect way of expressing something
indirect expression
equivocation, evasion – a statement that is not literally false but that cleverly avoids an unpleasant truth
circumlocution
noun indirectness, redundancy, euphemism, beating about the bush (informal), wordiness, diffuseness, prolixity, discursiveness He is long-winded and prone to circumlocution in his public speeches.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

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