taboo avoidance

taboo avoidance (countable and uncountable, plural taboo avoidances)

1. (linguistics) The replacement of a word or phrase with another by way of euphemism to avoid a cultural taboo (e.g. because the older word has become vulgar, or due to the belief that mentioning a dangerous creature's name may cause that creature to appear).

   It is believed that Slavic *medvědь (“bear”, literally “honey-eater”) replaced an earlier word because of taboo avoidance.

• taboo deformation
• speak of the devil