metaphrase

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English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek μεταφράζομαι (metaphrázomai, consider after). By surface analysis, meta- +‎ phrase.

Noun

metaphrase (plural metaphrases)

  1. a literal, word-for-word translation.
  2. An answering phrase; repartee.
    • 1856, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “Eighth Book”, in Aurora Leigh, London: Chapman and Hall, , published 1857, →OCLC:
      I'm somewhat dull still in the manly art
      Of phrase and metaphrase. Why, any man
      Can carve a score of white Loves out of snow,
      As Buonarroti down in Florence there,
      And set them on the wall in some safe shade []

Verb

metaphrase (third-person singular simple present metaphrases, present participle metaphrasing, simple past and past participle metaphrased)

  1. to make such a literal translation.

See also