Other forms: euphemisms
A euphemism is the soft polite phrase that hides a hard truth. Passed away, let go, a euphemism for dying.
They wear out: a euphemism takes on the meaning it was hiding and a new one is needed, which is why the words for lavatory and for dying keep changing. Some are kindness and some are cover, and the difference is who benefits. The Greek means speaking well.
1nouneuphemismA soft phrase used in place of a hard truth.
“The company used the euphemism 'letting people go' when it sacked a hundred workers.”
euphemism is a phrase.
euPHEMism → the FIRM word made soft
The soft phrase you reach for when the firm one would hurt: passed away, let go.
hooks ontofirm
Greek euphemismos means the use of good words, from eu, well, plus pheme, speech.
Proto-Indo-European
*bʰeh₂-
Ancient Greek
εὐφημισμός
English, today
euphemism
Built from
Recorded since 1656; from Ancient Greek εὐφημισμός, from εὐφημίζω, from εὔφημος (“uttering sound of good omen, abstaining from inauspicious words”), from εὖ (“well”) + φήμη (“a voice, a prophetic voice, rumor, talk”), from φημί (“to speak, say”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA