What are euphemisms?

English has a wealth of euphemisms. They are coded expressions that we use when whatever we are referring to is considered inappropriate for the circumstances or when we are embarrassed or uncomfortable with the literal version. As one might expect, many euphemisms relate to death or to what a true euphemist would refer to as ‘the trouser region’.

Euphemisms go back to the beginnings of the language but the word euphemism itself wasn’t defined until Thomas Blount included it in his Glossographia in 1656:

Euphemism, a good or favourable interpretation of a bad word.

Thomas Blount, Glossographia, 1656

Many euphemisms are old but new ones continue to be coined: for every Shakespearian ‘beast with two backs’ there’s a 20th century ‘knee trembler’.

The English have been using euphemisms since 1656.

The euphemisms that people have adopted in order to avoid saying ‘Jesus’ or ‘God’ are called minced oaths.

Here’s a select list of common euphemisms…