euphemism
/ˈjuːfəˌmɪzəm/YOO-fuh-mih-zuhm
/ˈjufəˌmɪzəm/YOO-fuh-mih-zuhm
Meaningspeaking well
Common meaning: a mild word for a harsh one
- euwell, good (Greek eu)
- phemto say, speak outLiddell & Scott, Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (1889), p. 230 · scan
- ismnoun ending: belief or practice
‘well, good (Greek eu)’ + ‘to say, speak out’ → euphemism
Journey through time
- Greekφημί‘to say, speak out’
- Englisheuphemism‘a mild word for a harsh one’ · today
eu- also in: eucalyptuseuthanasia
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Built on Greek φημί ‘to say, speak out’.
Did you know: our wording, based on Liddell & Scott, Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (1889), entry φημί, p. 230 · dictionary scan
Roots
- φημί Greek “to say, speak out”
Related words
Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app