It's the Word of the Day podcast for August 19th.

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Today's word is euphemism, spelled E-U-P-H-E-M-I-S-M.

Euphemism is a noun.

A euphemism is a mild or pleasant word or phrase that is used instead of one that is unpleasant or offensive.

Here's the word used in a sentence from Forbes.

The new model supposedly has fewer hallucinations, a common euphemism for when AI models produce inaccurate or misleading results.

There are times when circumstances call for a gentler or pleasanter word or phrase rather than the most direct one.

Such words and phrases are known as euphemisms, with the word euphemism coming fittingly from the Greek word euphemos, meaning sounding good.

Powder room, for example, is one of many euphemisms in the English language for a lavatory, or the place where one goes when one requires the use of a toilet and sink.

Actually, we are hard pressed to find a non-ephemistic word for such a room,

like powder room, the terms bathroom, restroom, and washroom, all tiptoe around the often

primary reason one has for visiting it. Similarly, love handles is a euphemism for fatty bulges

along the sides of one's body at the waist.

Though, as everyone who's ever snuggled up to a loved one endowed with such bulges knows,

love handles is a much better descriptor for what makes a person extra snugly.

With your word of the day, I'm Peter Sokolowski.

Visit Miriamwebster.com today for definitions, wordplay, and trending word lookups.

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