Spanish word

eufemismo

Pronunciation

IPA/ewfeˈmismo/

Meaning

  • masculine nouneuphemism

Example

Prefiero usar un eufemismo en esa situación.

I would rather use a euphemism in that situation.

Illustration for eufemismo (euphemism)

More examples

El titular del periódico empleó un eufemismo para suavizar la noticia.

The newspaper headline used a euphemism to soften the news.

Core concept

Polished, gentle wording used to shield someone from harsh facts.

Common phrases

  • emplear un eufemismo

    use a euphemism

  • eufemismo político

    political euphemism

  • echar mano de un eufemismo

    resort to a euphemism

Similar words

indirecta: Hints at something indirectly rather than stating it head-on.
tacto: Acts with sensitivity to others' emotions to prevent hurt feelings.
cortesía: Behaves with formal politeness and respect in social interactions.
circunloquio: Speaks in a long, roundabout way that avoids direct expression.

Definition in Spanish

Manera de expresar algo desagradable o potencialmente ofensivo utilizando palabras más suaves o indirectas para evitar ofender.

Word origin

Derives from Greek εὐφημισμός 'speaking well' (eu- 'good' + phēmē 'speech') and entered Spanish through Latin to name a milder way of saying unpleasant things.

Usage tips

  • Eufemismo appears in formal, political, and media contexts to soften bad news, and excessive use can make the meaning unclear.

Opposites

Related words

  • eufemizareuphemizeverb
  • eufemísticoeuphemisticadjective
  • eufemísticamenteeuphemisticallyadverb

Word lists with this word