Euphemism comes from the Greek word euphemia (εὐφημία) which refers to the use of 'words of good omen'; it is a compound of eû (εὖ), meaning 'good, well', and phḗmē (φήμη), meaning 'prophetic speech; rumour, talk'. See more

Using a euphemism can in itself be controversial, as in the following examples:
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Bureaucracies frequently spawn euphemisms intentionally, as doublespeak expressions. For example, in the past, the US military used the term "sunshine units" for contamination by radioactive isotopes. The United States Central Intelligence Agency See more

• Call a spade a spade
• Code word (figure of speech)
• Dead Parrot sketch See more

Avoidance
Reasons for using euphemisms vary by context and intent. Commonly, euphemisms are … See more

Pronunciation (phonetic modification)
Phonetic euphemism is used to replace profanities and blasphemies, diminishing their intensity. To … See more

Frequently, over time, euphemisms themselves become taboo words, through the linguistic process of semantic change known as pejoration, which University of Oregon linguist … See more