Word of the Day: EUPHEMISM

euphemism (noun) - the substitution of a pleasant or inoffensive term for one that is unacceptable or unpleasant; the word substituted [yoo-fuh-miz-uhm]

BREAKDOWN:  EU- (good) + PHEM- (speech) + -ISM (process or result)  

• euphemistic means pertaining to euphemisms; inoffensive or innocuous 

• to euphemize means to refer to something bad or offensive in more pleasant or acceptable terms

“In our time, political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible... Thus, political language has to consist largely of euphemism, question-begging, and sheer cloudy vagueness... Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable.” —George Orwell