dysphemism
- noun
- /dɪsˈfɛmɪzəm/
- Offensive
:
disfemismo
- Using the term 'skinny' as a dysphemism can hurt someone's feelings instead of simply describing their weight.
Examples
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I have noticed that my tendency to use dysphemisms for things I like has resulted in a widespread misunderstanding—that there is something inherently wrong with "insight porn."
Blog text (20) -
And I proceeded to ask him if he didn't think it more appropriate to consider 'faggot' a dysphemism (in retrospect, I should have just said 'insult').
Blog text (19) -
She called the new policy a 'job killer,' which many considered a dysphemism for its actual goals.
-
Referring to a homeless person as 'the lesser fortunate' is an example of a dysphemism in everyday language.
Synonyms
155
3.4
Rude or insulting words said to hurt someone
18
7.1
A word people think is rude or not polite
17
8.7
An insulting word or phrase that hurts someone
1
9.5
A rude word or phrase that insults people for being in a certain group
Words someone says to hurt another person
Antonyms
How Offensive
Surface Forms
Morphology
dysphemism = euphemism (semi-transparent) = dys + phem + ism
Formed as the negative counterpart to 'euphemism' using the Greek combining form 'phem' plus '-ism'; the root 'phem' is not a standalone English word so the relation is clear mainly to those who know 'euphemism' or the prefix 'dys-'.
Etymology
Dysphemism comes from the Greek parts dys- meaning 'bad' and -phemism meaning 'speech', and it is the opposite of euphemism ('good speech'). So a dysphemism is a 'bad' or offensive way to say something instead of a neutral word.