paranym

/ˈpæɹənɪm/

Etymology

From para- + -nym.

paranym means A euphemistic synonym. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.

paranym is pronounced /ˈpæɹənɪm/.

Why “paranym” is a great word

PARANYM — [Noun] A euphemistic word or phrase whose literal meaning stands in direct, often contradictory, relation to the harsh reality it seeks to conceal. Formed within English from the combining form para- (meaning "beside, beyond, altered") and the suffix -nym (from Greek -ōnymos, meaning "name"). First attested in 1963. Unlike a general "euphemism," which merely softens, or a "synonym," which aligns in meaning, a paranym is a deliberate verbal misdirection, a costume of language. It is the "collateral damage" for dismembered children, the "enhanced interrogation" for the waterboard's gasp, the "sunset industry" for a town whose heart has stopped—a quiet agreement to see the world not as it is, but as we wish it to be spoken.

noun

A euphemistic synonym.