Euphemise

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To express a harsh or uncomfortable idea using kinder terminology
2. To soften the impact of a statement by using gentle or less direct words
3. To relay a message in a way that reduces bluntness or severity by choosing mild language

Etymology: The verb "euphemise" is a straightforward formation: it takes the noun "euphemism" and adds the suffix "-ise", the British spelling of the verb ending "-ize". The noun itself came from Greek "euphēmismos", built from "eu" meaning "well" and "phēmē" meaning "speech" or "saying", so the idea is literally "speaking well" of something unpleasant. The suffix has a longer ancestry than the noun it attaches to. It descends from the Ancient Greek "-izein", which was borrowed into Latin as "-izare" and reached English through Middle French "-iser" and Middle English "-isen". Over the centuries English used it to build verbs from nouns and adjectives, so "euphemise" follows the same pattern as words like "modernise" or "civilise".

Synonyms: soften, mitigate, diminish, palliate, attenuate

Antonyms: aggravate, intensify, exacerbate, amplify, escalate