tautology

[ taw-tol-uh-jee ]

noun

, plural tau·tol·o·gies.

1. needless repetition of an idea, especially in words other than those of the immediate context, without imparting additional force or clearness, as in “widow woman.”
2. an instance of such repetition.
3. Logic.
   1. a compound propositional form all of whose instances are true, as “A or not A.”
   2. an instance of such a form, as “This candidate will win or will not win.”

tautology

/ ˌtɔːtəˈlɒdʒɪkəl; tɔːˈtɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. the use of words that merely repeat elements of the meaning already conveyed, as in the sentence Will these supplies be adequate enough? in place of Will these supplies be adequate?
2. logic a statement that is always true, esp a truth-functional expression that takes the value true for all combinations of values of its components, as in either the sun is out or the sun is not out Compare inconsistency contingency

Derived Forms

• ˌtautoˈlogically, adverb
• tautological, adjective

Other Words From

• tau·to·log·i·cal [tawt-l-, oj, -i-k, uh, l], tau·to·log·ic tau·tol·o·gous [taw-, tol, -, uh, -g, uh, s], adjective
• tau·tol·o·gist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tautology¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of tautology¹

C16: from Late Latin tautologia, from Greek, from tautologos

Example Sentences

Too true, in the way that tautologies always are: Anti-Jewish hatred is indeed antisemitism.

From Los Angeles Times

On one level, this is a fairly ridiculous tautology.

From Los Angeles Times

The problem with this narrative is that it’s just a pejorative tautology.

From Washington Post

Blaming “high prices” on “profiteering” isn’t an explanation; it’s a tautology.

From Washington Post

I just say “the novel”; which isn’t an answer, it’s a tautology — but a necessary one maybe.

From New York Times

Related Words

• litany
• recurrence
• reiteration
• repeat
• rhythm

More About Tautology

What does tautology mean?

A tautology is the unnecessary repetition of an idea, statement, or word whose meaning has already been expressed, as in 8 a.m. in the morning. (The label a.m. indicates the morning, so in the morning creates a tautology).

Tautologies say the same thing twice without adding new information or emphasis.

In logic, tautology has a more specific meaning: a statement that is always true, as in Statement 1 is true or not true or Either we will arrive on time or we will not arrive on time.  

Example: My professor pointed out that the phrase “evening sunset” is a tautology because sunsets always happen in the evening.

Where does tautology come from?

The first records of the word tautology come from the 1500s. It comes from the Greek tautología. The combining form tauto- means “same,” and the ending -logy can be used in reference to writing or discourse.

Tautologies are often avoided in writing because they consist of an unnecessary repetition of the same information without adding any emphasis. Of course, this is sometimes a matter of preference. The phrases dilapidated ruins and dry desert can be considered tautologies because the adjective in each expresses something already expressed by the noun. But it could be argued that they add emphasis. Some tautologies are more obvious, as in She’s a beginner who just started or We are currently closed at this time. 

In logic, tautology refers to a statement that’s true in every interpretation, as in Either we will win or we will not win. 

The word redundancy is similar, but it’s usually used more generally, often for the simple repetition of a specific word, as in The Department of Redundancy Department or $20 dollars (in which dollars is unnecessary due to the use of the symbol $). By contrast, an oxymoron is a phrase or expression that uses terms that contradict each other, as in the phrase growing smaller.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to tautology?

• tautological (adjective)
• tautologic (adjective)
• tautologous (adjective)
• tautologism (noun)
• tautologize (verb)
• tautologically (adverb)
• tautologously (adverb)
• nontautological (adjective)

What are some words that share a root or word element with tautology? 

• tautonym

What are some words that often get used in discussing tautology?

 

• repeat
• needless
• unnecessary
• redundant
• logic
• recurrence
• reiteration

How is tautology used in real life?

The word tautology is often discussed in the context of writing as something to avoid. When spotted in real life, tautologies are often humorous.

'currently unable to offer this service at this time' is a bit of a tautology innit. (MBNA telephone helpline if you're interested.)

— Jack Fraser (@muninnherself) March 30, 2020

“Face mask” is a tautology. Discuss.

— Tim Parker (@pozlit) April 18, 2020

Love never fades.

No such thing as "true love". That's tautology. If it's not true, it's not love. Period. https://t.co/QxGNHEIxcT

— 🇳🇬Dr. Strange🇦🇺 (@the_ngozi) April 13, 2020

 

 

Try using tautology!

Which of the following phrases is an example of a tautology? 

A. brown dog
B. roasted carrot
C. frozen ice
D. shiny car