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Euphemism vs Hypocorism - What's the difference?

euphemism | hypocorism |

As nouns the difference between euphemism and hypocorism

is that euphemism is (uncountable) the use of a word or phrase to replace another with one that is considered less offensive, blunt or vulgar than the word or phrase it replaces while hypocorism is a term of endearment; a pet name.

euphemism

English

Noun

{{examples-right, examples= * fib'' for '' * correctional facility'' for ''prison'' (compare dysphemism: ''slammer ) * sleep (with)]]'' for ''[[have sex, have sex (with)'' (compare dysphemisms: ''bang'', ''fuck ) * pass away'' for '' * vertically challenged'' for ''short'' (physical stature; compare dysphemisms: ''midget'', ''dwarf ) }}
  • (uncountable) The use of a word or phrase to replace another with one that is considered less offensive, blunt or vulgar than the word or phrase it replaces.
  • (countable) A word or phrase that is used to replace another in this way.

    • Antonyms

    * dysphemism * expletive

    Related terms

    * euphemistic

    External links

    * (wikipedia "euphemism") * * * *

    hypocorism

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A term of endearment; a pet name.
  • * {{quote-book, year=2003, author=Mark Steven Morton, title=The Lover's Tongue citation
    • , passage=Cabbage'', however, has enjoyed unlikely success as a hypocorism , a usage that dates back to the mid nineteenth century; this usage arose as a direct translation of ''chou , which French lovers had been calling each other for a long time: "Oh, mon petit chou"—"Oh, my little cabbage."}}
  • Baby-talk, e.g. bow-wow'' for ''dog'', ''choo-choo'' for ''train .

    • Synonyms

    * nickname * pet name * sobriquet

    Derived terms

    * hypocoristic * hypocoristical * hypocoristically