# Is there a specific term for this?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-specific-term-for-this/983830>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** books-writing-myths\
**Created:** [May 10, 2023, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-specific-term-for-this/983830 "2023-05-10T00:02:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-specific-term-for-this/983830/1 "2023-05-10T00:02:03Z")

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Replacing a vulgar expletive with a substitute more suitable for mixed company or tender ears. E.G.: shucks, shoot, darn, fudge, dagnabit, etc. Euphemism seems too generic.

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**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-specific-term-for-this/983830/2 "2023-05-10T00:04:10Z")

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Bowdlerism, bowdlerization - usually in reference to doing it systematically to a work of literature, a movie, etc.

But I think just euphemism is correct too.

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**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-specific-term-for-this/983830/3 "2023-05-10T00:14:06Z")

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“Minced oath”

> **[Minced oath](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minced_oath)**
>
> A minced oath is a euphemistic expression formed by deliberately misspelling, mispronouncing, or replacing a part of a profane, blasphemous, or taboo word or phrase to reduce the original term's objectionable characteristics. An example is "gosh" for "God".
> Many languages have such expressions. In the English language, nearly all profanities have minced variants.
> Common methods of forming a minced oath are rhyme and alliteration. Thus the word bloody can become blooming, or ruddy. Alliterative ...

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-specific-term-for-this/983830/4 "2023-05-10T00:18:13Z")

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Isn’t the OP the exact definition of euphemism?

Bowdlerizing didn’t always or even usually provide a softer word: it cut the offensive passage of the text. Minced oath is more narrow than euphemism. It does cover the words used in the OP, though.

Edited because of being ninja’d.

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**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-specific-term-for-this/983830/5 "2023-05-10T01:45:15Z")

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I think “minced oath” is it. It’s also interesting to see minced used in another word related context along with “mincing words”.

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**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-specific-term-for-this/983830/6 "2023-05-10T14:37:37Z")

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Nevermind

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**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-specific-term-for-this/983830/7 "2023-05-11T13:15:49Z")

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> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#):
>
> Isn’t the OP the exact definition of euphemism?

A euphemism doesn’t have to substitute for a vulgar expletive, just for something that people might not be comfortable saying bluntly (e.g. “passed away” for “died”).