Pleonasms or Tautological Redundancies

(avoid redundancies or excessive repetitiousness by not using unnecessary repetitions and superfluous words or more word usages than is needed, desired, or required)

The use of pleonasms results in a superfluity of words, sometimes deliberately, for emphasis; or the unnecessary repetitions resulting from a lack of the realization that such terms are redundant.

A tautological statement, sentence, etc. repeats its meaning in an unnecessary or excessive way by using different words to say the same thing.

* The pleonasms followed by an asterisk (*) came from an essay, "The Affluent Rich"; by Nat Boynton in his book, Media Rare. My special thanks to Mr. Jerry Gordon for contributing a copy of the essay so I could go through it and pick out the "UR's" (Unnecessary Redundancies) or pleonasms.

Please contribute any pleonasms you may come across from any of the media and let's make this list even more significant as it expands. You may send your suggestion, or suggestions, to e-mail contact or use this e-mail address: [email protected]

outside in the yard
over again
overdone this a little too much *
overused cliche
pair of twins *
past experience
past history
past tradition *
PC Computer
Personal Computer Computer
perfectly clear
perfectly legitimate
persistent obsession
personal friend (s) (noun), personal friends (pl)
Someone who is well known rather than just a colleague or an acquaintance.
personal friendship (s) (noun), personal friendships (pl)
The sharing of close relationships, social associations, and interests.
personal individual

Also see the unit of pleio-, plio- words meaning, "more, most; excessive; multiple".