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Added 9 October 2026

phrase

/ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ noun

Latin root: phrasis Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about phrase at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

An expression consisting of one or more words forming a grammatical constituent of a sentence.
A short musical passage.
An expression whose meanings cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it up.

verb

Put into words or an expression.
He formulated his concerns to the board of trustees
Divide, combine, or mark into phrases.
phrase a musical passage

Origin

Borrowed from Late Latin phrasis (“diction”), from Ancient Greek φράσις (phrásis, “manner of expression”), from φράζω (phrázō, “to tell, express”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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