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| 1. | the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt. |
| 2. | the expression so substituted: “To pass away” is a euphemism for “to die.” |
| eu·phe·mism (yōō'fə-mĭz'əm) n. The act or an example of substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for one considered harsh, blunt, or offensive: "Euphemisms such as 'slumber room' . . . abound in the funeral business" (Jessica Mitford). [Greek euphēmismos, from euphēmizein, to use auspicious words, from euphēmiā, use of auspicious words : eu-, eu- + phēmē, speech; see bhā-2 in Indo-European roots.] eu'phe·mist n., eu'phe·mis'tic (-mĭs'tĭk) adj., eu'phe·mis'ti·cal·ly adv. |
An agreeable word or expression substituted for one that is potentially offensive, often having to do with bodily functions, sex, or death; for example, rest room for toilet, lady of the evening for prostitute. The Nazis used euphemism in referring to their plan to murder the world's Jews as “the Final Solution.”
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