3 syllables: Ple, on, asm. Stress on Ple.
PLEE-uh-nazm
/ˈpliəˌnæzm/
Pleonasm is pronounced PLEE-uh-nazm (/ˈpliəˌnæzm/). It has three syllables (Ple-on-asm), with the stress on "Ple". Pleonasm is a noun referring to the use of more words than necessary to convey meaning, often as redundancy or emphasis. It denotes superfluous wording that repeats information already understood. In rhetoric and linguistics it’s noted as a stylistic device, sometimes intentional, sometimes unintentional. The term is most common in literary critique and grammatical discussion.
nounPleonasm is a noun referring to the use of more words than necessary to convey meaning, often as redundancy or emphasis. It denotes superfluous wording that repeats information already understood. In rhetoric and linguistics it’s noted as a stylistic device, sometimes intentional, sometimes unintentional. The term is most common in literary critique and grammatical discussion.
"The phrase 'free gift' is a pleonasm, since a gift is inherently free."
"Saying 'I personally, in my own opinion, believe' is a pleonasm of redundancy."
"Her exit from the venue was through the back door, an unnecessary pleonasm of movement."
Pronounce it as /pliːˈɒ.næ.zəm/. The primary stress rests on the second syllable: pleo-NASm. Start with a long 'ee' sound in the first syllable, then a short 'o' in the second, followed by 'na' with a short 'a' and finally 'zm' where the 'z' is voiced and the 'm' closes softly. Mouth positioning: keep the tongue high for /iː/, drop to a mid-low position for /ɒ/; lips neutral to rounded slightly for /ɒ/. IPA cues: US/UK share /pliːˈɒ.næ.zəm/; ensure the /ˈɒ/ is held slightly longer than the preceding /iː/ and the following /æ/ is a light open front vowel.
Two frequent errors: 1) Misplacing the stress, saying pleo-NASm with stress on the first syllable; fix by practicing the clear second-syllable stress: /pliːˈɒ.næ.zəm/. 2) Slurring the /ɒ/ into /æ/ or not shaping the /z/ before /m/ distinctly, yielding /pleoˈnæzəm/ or /pleonæzm/. Practice by isolating each segment: /pliː/ then /ˈɒ/ then /næ/ then /zəm/, ensuring the /z/ is voiced and the /m/ ends with a soft closure.
In US pronunciation you’ll hear /pliːˈɒ.næ.zəm/ with rhotic non-influence on vowels, the /ɒ/ close to British/Australian /ɒ/ or /ɑː/ depending on speaker. UK tends toward a clearer /ɒ/ and may favor a slightly more rounded /ɒ/ with a crisper /z/ before /əm/. Australian often shows a broad /ɒ/ or /ɔː/ variation and a more relaxed final syllable; the rhotic /r/ is not pronounced, keeping /zəm/ intact. Overall stress remains on the second syllable across dialects, but vowel quality and length differ subtly.
The difficulty lies in the sequence /ɒ.næ/ where short, open vowels meet the nasal /n/ and z-voicing, plus the final /zəm/ that requires precise voicing contrast and soft /m/ closure. Many speakers also misplace the primary stress or blend /ɒ/ and subsequent vowels. Practice focusing on the two stressed sounds: the vowel in /ɒ/ and the following /æ/ before /z/. Slow, deliberate enunciation helps you hear the syllabic boundaries and the distinct /z/ before the final /m/.
A typical nuance: silent features are not present, but you should notice the subtle vowel duration differences in British English versus American for the /æ/ in the third syllable. The final syllable /zəm/ remains a voiced nasal with a neutral schwa /ə/ or a reduced /m/ closure depending on pace. Focus on the syllable boundary after /æ/: it’s a clear, audible break before /z/. This helps maintain intelligibility in careful speech.
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Pleonasm comes from the Greek pleon (more, further) and ismos (a suffix forming nouns). The root pleon traces to Greek pleion, meaning more, and the suffix -asmos relates to a state or condition. The term was adopted into Latin as pleonasmus, then into English via scholarly linguistic discourse in the 17th–18th centuries. Historically, pleonasm has been discussed in rhetorical and grammatical literature as a natural, sometimes deliberate enhancement or an unwanted redundancy. Early references appear in ancient Greek rhetorical treatises examining style and economy, evolving through Latin scholastic commentaries. In modern usage, pleonasm can be a critical label for over-elaborate prose but is also acknowledged as a stylistic choice in certain forms of emphatic writing. The concept intersects with other devices like tautology and pleonectic-like constructions, and it remains a useful term in textual analysis and linguistic pedagogy.
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Words that rhyme with "Pleonasm"
-asm sounds
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