Paraphrase

Paraphrase

Noun & verb · /ˈpærəfreɪz/ · restating meaning in different words

Definition

As a verb: to express the meaning of a passage or text using different words, typically to clarify or simplify. As a noun: a restatement of a text or passage in other words. Paraphrasing preserves meaning while changing form — the core skill of clear communication.

Origin

From Latin paraphrasis, from Greek paraphrasis — para (beside, alongside) + phrasis (speech, way of speaking). Literally: speaking alongside the original — saying the same thing in a parallel way. In English since the mid sixteenth century.