Paraphrase
/ˈpær.ə.freɪz/noun
To restate something in different words while keeping the original meaning.
Did you know?It comes from Greek roots meaning “beside” + “speak,” and in ancient rhetoric, paraphrasing was a formal power move for reshaping a message without changing its core.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
paráphrasis
“a paraphrase; a speaking beside or indirect expression”
Late Latin
Latin
paraphrasis
“paraphrase, amplification in different words”
Middle French
French
paraphrase
“a restatement in other words”
16th Century
English
paraphrase
“a restatement or explanation in different words”
Modern English
English
paraphrase
“to restate or express in different words while preserving meaning”