TAUTOLOGY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does tautology mean? 

• TAUTOLOGY (noun)
  The noun TAUTOLOGY has 2 senses:

1. (logic) a statement that is necessarily true

2. useless repetition

  Familiarity information: TAUTOLOGY used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TAUTOLOGY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(logic) a statement that is necessarily true

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

the statement 'he is brave or he is not brave' is a tautology

Hypernyms ("tautology" is a kind of...):

true statement; truth (a true statement)

Domain category:

logic (the branch of philosophy that analyzes inference)

Derivation:

tautological (repetition of same sense in different words)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Useless repetition

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

to say that something is 'adequate enough' is a tautology

Hypernyms ("tautology" is a kind of...):

repetitiousness; repetitiveness (verboseness resulting from excessive repetitions)

Derivation:

tautologic; tautological (repetition of same sense in different words)

 Context examples 

Methodical, or well arranged, or very well delivered, it could not be expected to be; but it contained, when separated from all the feebleness and tautology of the narration, a substance to sink her spirit—especially with the corroborating circumstances, which her own memory brought in favour of Mr. Knightley's most improved opinion of Harriet.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)