paraphrase
n. C / Un. a way of saying or writing something using different words to make the meaning clearer. You use it to show you understand an idea without copying the original text exactly.
n. a restatement of a text or passage in another form or other words, often to clarify meaning. Frequently used in academic contexts to incorporate external ideas while maintaining a consistent authorial voice.
The student wrote a short paraphrase of the poem.
The lawyer provided a clear paraphrase of the complex legal document for the jury.
While a direct quotation preserves the original author's exact phrasing, a well-executed paraphrase demonstrates a deeper synthesis of the underlying concepts within the researcher's own narrative framework.
From Middle French paraphrase.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Countable when referring to a specific restatement; uncountable when referring to the general practice of restating text.
Last updated May 9, 2026