Paradiastole

//ˌpɛrədaɪˈæstəli// noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A form of euphemism in which a positive synonym is substituted for a negative word. rhetoric

Etymology

From Ancient Greek παραδιαστολή (paradiastolḗ), from παρα- (para-, “next to, alongside”) + διαστολή (diastolḗ, “separation, distinction”).

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.