1. a mode of speaking characterized by difficulty or inability in finding the right words to identify or explain an object that has been perceived and recognized. It involves the use of a variety of words or phrases that indirectly communicate the individual’s meaning. Circumlocution can be a manifestation of anomic aphasia caused by damage to the left posterior temporal lobe of the brain, but in some cases it is an indication of disorganized thought processes, as in schizophrenia. See circumstantiality.

2. a style of speaking used consciously by healthy individuals to convey meaning indirectly, so that the meaning is inferred by the listener.