Characterized by or using roundabout speech; expressed in a wordy or indirect manner using many unnecessary words.
From 'circumlocution' (Latin 'circum' around + 'locutio' speech) + '-al' (adjective suffix). This adjective form developed alongside the noun to describe the quality or manner of indirect speech.
A 'circumlocutional response' to 'When will you finish?' might be 'Well, considering the various factors and circumstances that have arisen, one might anticipate completion in a reasonable timeframe'—it's technically speaking but avoids the actual answer! Shakespeare loved circumlocutional characters because they're hilarious when overused.
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