Euphemism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Euphemism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A euphemism is a substitution for an expression that may offend or suggest something unpleasant to the receiver, using instead an agreeable or less offensive expression,^[1] or to make it less troublesome for the speaker, as in the case of doublespeak.

The purpose of the substitution may also be to avoid revealing secret or sacred names to the uninitiated, or to obscure the identity of the subject of a conversation from potential eavesdroppers. Some euphemisms are intended to amuse.

Contents [hide] 1 Usage 2 Etymology 3 Euphemism treadmill 3.1 Words describing disability/handicap 4 Evolution of euphemisms 5 Euphemisms for the profane 5.1 Religious euphemisms 5.2 Excretory euphemisms 5.3 Sexual euphemisms 5.4 Euphemisms referring to profanity itself 6 Euphemisms for death and murder 7 Euphemisms in job titles 8 Doublespeak 9 Common examples 10 See also 11 References 12 Further reading Part of a series on Censorship By media Banned books · Banned films Re-edited film · Internet · Music Press · Radio · Thought Speech and expression Video games Methods Bleeping · Book burning Broadcast delay · Chilling effect Conspiracy of silence Content-control software Euphemism · Expurgation Gag order · Heckling Memory hole · Newspaper theft Pixelization · Postal · Prior restraint Revisionism · Self-censorship Speech code · Strategic lawsuit Verbal offence · Whitewashing Contexts Corporate · Political · Religious Ideological · Criminal speech Hate speech · Media bias Suppression of dissent By country Censorship · Freedom of speech