periphrase
The use of more words than are necessary to express the idea; a roundabout, or indirect, way of speaking; circumlocution.
countable, uncountable
To describe all those on whom the fates of Troy hinged , by enigmatic periphrases
1821, Thomas De Quincey, John Paul Frederick Richter (published in London Magazine
Where it comes from
From Latin periphrasis from Ancient Greek περίφρασις (períphrasis), from περιφράζομαι (periphrázomai, “to consider all sides of an issue”), from περί (perí, “around”) + φράζω (phrázō, “to show, point out”). See phrase.
Adapted from the Wiktionary entry periphrase (CC BY-SA 4.0).