Adjacent Words

Euphemism definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

EU'PHEMISM, n. [Gr. well, and to speak.] A representation of good qualities; particularly in rhetoric, a figure in which a harsh or indelicate word or expression is softened, or rather by which a delicate word or expression is substituted for one which is offensive to good manners or to delicate ears.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: an inoffensive or indirect expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive or too harsh [ant: dysphemism]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Greek euph?mismos, from euph?mos auspicious, sounding good, from eu- + ph?m? speech, from phanai to speak — more at ban Date: circa 1681 the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant; also the expression so substituted • euphemist noun • euphemistic adjective • euphemistically adverb

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a mild or vague expression substituted for one thought to be too harsh or direct (e.g. pass over for die). 2 the use of such expressions. Derivatives: euphemist n. euphemistic adj. euphemistically adv. euphemize v.tr. & intr. (also -ise). Etymology: Gk euphemismos f. euphemos (as EU-, pheme speaking)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Euphemism Eu"phe*mism, n. [Gr. ? fr. ? to use word of a good omen; ? well + ? to speak: cf. F. euph['e]misme. See Fame.] (Rhet.) A figure in which a harts or indelicate word or expression is softened; a way of describing an offensive thing by an inoffensive expression; a mild name for something disagreeable.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(euphemisms) A euphemism is a polite word or expression that is used to refer to things which people may find upsetting or embarrassing to talk about, for example sex, the human body, or death. The term 'early retirement' is nearly always a euphemism for redundancy nowadays. N-COUNT: oft N for n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Softened expression (to avoid offending by harshness, or by indelicacy). 2. Over-delicacy of speech, affected refinement of language, euphuism.

Moby Thesaurus

Gongorism, affectation, affectedness, amelioration, artfulness, artifice, artificiality, cushioning, elegance, euphuism, exquisiteness, formalism, formality, goody-goodness, goody-goodyism, hyperelegance, indirect, manneredness, mannerism, mild, mitigation, mollification, overelaboration, overelegance, overniceness, overpreciseness, overrefinement, pedantry, preciosity, preciousness, precisianism, pretentiousness, purism, substitution, unnaturalness, vague