Dec. 30th, 2024

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[personal profile] stonepicnicking_okapi
tautology [tau·​tol;o·​gy; tȯ--lə-jē]

noun:
1. needless repetition of an idea, statement, or word
2. logic: a statement that is true by virtue of its logical form alone (e.g. "It will snow tomorrow, or it will not snow tomorrow.")

Examples:
1. Yes, a win is a win, but tautologies aside, for the Niners, a win with Purdy playing like one of the finest quarterbacks in the NFL on Sunday would speak volumes.
Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024
2. In this tautology, the act of spending is proof that the spending is justified.
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 17 Oct. 2024

Origin:
First recorded in 1570–80; from Late Latin tautologia, from Greek tautología “repetition of something already said” (a term in rhetoric); tauto-, -logy

tautology
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