1 : the use of more words than those necessary to denote mere sense (as in the man he said) : redundancy. 2 : an instance or example of pleonasm.

What is an example of pleonasm?

For example, “I like a smuggler. He is the only honest thief.” However, pleonasm is a combination of two or more words which are more than those required for clear expression. For example, “I saw it with my own eyes.”

Why do people use pleonasm?

Pleonasm can serve as a redundancy check; if a word is unknown, misunderstood, misheard, or if the medium of communication is poor—a wireless telephone connection or sloppy handwriting—pleonastic phrases can help ensure that the meaning is communicated even if some of the words are lost.