code word

See synonyms for: code wordcode words on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a euphemistic or politically acceptable catchword or phrase used instead of a blunter or less acceptable term: The official report said the diplomats had a “frank and serious discussion”—code words for “angry argument.”

Origin of code word

1
First recorded in 1880–85

Words Nearby code word

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use code word in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for codeword

codeword

/ (ˈkəʊdˌwɜːd) /


noun
  1. (esp in military use) a word used to identify a classified plan, operation, etc: Also: codename

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012