Euphemism

Definition

Euphemism is the substitution of an inoffensive expression (such as "passed away") for one considered offensively explicit ("died"). Contrast with dysphemism. Adjective: euphemistic.

In his Oxford Dictionary of Euphemisms (2007), R.W. Holder notes that in speech or writing "we use euphemism for dealing with taboo or sensitive subjects. It is therefore the language of evasion, hypocrisy, prudery, and deceit."

Maksud perkataan euphemism adalah / The meaning of euphemism is :

bahasa kiasan, bahasa halus, eufemisme, perkataan yang lebih manis untuk menggantikan beberapa perkataan tertentu seperti ‘meninggal dunia’ untuk perkataan ‘mati’

Purpose

Euphemism use ranges from a polite concern for propriety, to attempting to escape responsibility for war crimes. For instance one reason for the comparative scarcity of written evidence documenting the exterminations at Auschwitz (at least given the scale) is "directives for the extermination process obscured in bureaucratic euphemisms." ColumnistDavid Brooks called the euphemisms for torture at Abu Ghraib, Guantánamo and elsewhere an effort to "dull the moral sensibility."

Common examples

Euphemism	Basic word(s) for which substituted
adult entertainment, adult material	pornography
affirmative action	preference for women and/or minorities, usually in employment or academic admissions, also called reverse discrimination, or in the U.K. positive discrimination.
custodian, caretaker	janitor (also originally a euphemism: in Latin, janitor means doorman.)
challenged, differently abled	disabled
enhanced interrogation	torture
expecting	pregnant
family planning	contraceptives
making love, sleeping with, getting it on, having it off (U.K.), hooking up, doing it	having sexual intercourse;
sanitation worker, refuse worker (UK)	bin man, garbage man, dustman (UK)
underprivileged, economically disadvantaged	Poor
passed away	died
put to sleep	euthanized
visit from the stork	give birth

reference

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphemism

http://grammar.about.com/od/e/g/euphemismterm.html