[‘ Chiefly Rhetoric. The use of an excessively elaborate or elevated style to discuss a trivial matter; bombastic or laboured language.']
Pronunciation: Brit. /ˌpɛrɪˈəːdʒ(ɪ)ə/, U.S. /ˌpɛriˈərdʒiə/
Forms: α. 15 17– *periergia*. β. 17–18 *periergy*.
Etymology:Of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from Latin. Partly a borrowing from Greek. Etymons: Latin periergia; Greek περιεργία. < classical Latin /periergia/ excessively elaborate rhetorical style (Quintilian) and its etymon Hellenistic Greek /περιεργία/, already in ancient Greek denoting futility, needless questioning, curiosity, useless learning < /περίεργος/ curious, superfluous, excessively elaborate, in Hellenistic Greek especially of rhetorical style, and in sense ‘taking needless trouble’ ( < /περι-* peri- prefix + /ἔργον* work: see erg n.1) + /-ία/ -ia suffix1; compare -y suffix3.
Now rare.
*1.* Chiefly Rhetoric. The use of an excessively elaborate or elevated style to discuss a trivial matter; bombastic or laboured language.
1550 R. Sherry /Treat. Schemes & Tropes/ sig. Ci, /Periergia/. Sedulitas superflua, when ther is in speakyng to much diligence and curiositye, and the sentence ouerladen with superfluous wordes.
1577 H. Peacham /Garden of Eloquence/ sig. Giiiv, /Periergia/, when in a small matter, there is to much laboure bestowed, and to many words and figures vsed.
1589 G. Puttenham /Arte Eng. Poesie/ iii. xxii. 216 Therefore the Greekes call it Periergia, we call it ouer-labor, iumpe with the originall: or rather [/the curious/] for his ouermuch curiositie and studie to shew himselfe fine in a light matter.
1823 G. Crabb /Universal Technol. Dict./, /Periergy/ (Rhet.).., a bombastic or laboured style.
1969 /Amer. N. & Q./ June 157/2 The same mentality must also be ascribed to those who would eschew ‘over-elaboration’ in favour of ‘periergia’.
†*2.* Excessive care or caution. Obs.
1722 J. Quincy /Lexicon Physico-medicum/(ed. 2) 339/2 /Periergia/, is any needless Caution or Trouble in an Operation.
1792 P. W. Fogg /Elementa Anglicana/ I. 82 /Periergy/, round about work, needless caution.