EUPHEMISM

[eu.phe.mism] n [Gk euphemismos, fr. euphemos auspicious, sounding good, fr. eu- + pheme speech, fr. phanai to speak--more at ban] (ca. 1681): the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant; also: the expression so substituted -- eu.phe.mist n -- eu.phe.mis.tic adj -- eu.phe.mis.ti.cal.ly adv