DYSPHEMISM

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

Meaning:

An offensive or disparaging expression that is substituted for an inoffensive one

Example:

his favorite dysphemism was to ask for axle grease when he wanted butter

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("dysphemism" is a kind of...):

expression; locution; saying (a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "dysphemism"):

bus; heap; jalopy (a car that is old and unreliable)

old man (an informal term for your father)

Antonym:

euphemism (an inoffensive or indirect expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive or too harsh)

Derivation:

dysphemistic (of or the nature of dysphemism)