Phrase

How to spell phrase

6 letters · 1 syllable

How to pronounce phrase

What does phrase mean?

1. nounA small group of words that work together as a unit of meaning or expression.
2. verbTo express or word something in a particular way.

Phrase in a sentence

• noun

  The contract included a confusing legal phrase that nobody could explain.

• verb

  He tried to phrase the rejection politely so the client would not be offended.

• noun

  She underlined the key phrase in the report before the meeting.

• verb

  You should phrase the question carefully to avoid any confusion.

Where does phrase come from?

Language of origin: Greek

This word traces back to the Greek phrasis, meaning 'speech' or 'a way of speaking', which was built on the verb phrazein, 'to tell, declare, or point out'. Latin borrowed it as phrasis with much the same sense, and from there it entered English in the middle of the 1500s, first as a term for a particular manner of expression. Over time it narrowed to mean a small group of words working together as a unit, and it also gained a musical sense for a short, self-contained run of notes. The spelling keeps the Greek 'ph' standing in for the /f/ sound, the same fingerprint seen in 'physics', 'photograph', and 'paragraph'. That 'ph' opening, plus the final silent 'e', is exactly what makes the word a trap, since it sounds identical to 'frays'.

How the word is built

• phras- (from Greek phrasis: speech, way of speaking)
• -e