euphemistic

/ˌˈjufəˌmɪstɪk/

Something that's euphemistic fills in, in a polite or gentle way, for a difficult or offensive word. A euphemistic way to say "pregnant," for example, is "in the family way."

People often use euphemistic expressions when they're afraid of offending or upsetting someone. You might refer to pornography as "adult material," or instead of saying, "You're going bald," say "You're looking a little thin on top." Euphemism comes from the Greek euphemismos, "use of a favorable word in place of an inauspicious one," from the roots eu-, "good," and pheme, "speaking."

Definitions of euphemistic

1. adjective

   substituting a mild term for a harsher or distasteful one
   synonyms: inoffensive

   antonyms:

   dysphemistic

   substituting a harsher or distasteful term for a mild one