| pleonasm |
| Definition:
(1) Using more words than you need to express an idea. (2) (rare) Adding a superfluous (or apparently superfluous) letter or syllable to a word. Note: Some types of this are prothesis, epenthesis, and paragoge. |
| Example: I smelled it with my nose. |
| Etymology: The word derives via Late Latin from the Greek pleonasein, to be more than enough (from pleon, more). |
| Oxford English Dictionary: Its first citation is from 1586: "Pleonasmus, where, with words seeming superfluous, we doe increase our reasons, as thus, With these eares I heard him speake it." (A. Day Eng. Secretary ii. (1625) 82) |