euphemism

…Words referring to clothing worn directly on the body also became taboo, and even words like trousers and stockings became unmentionable and indescribable. This kind of manipulation is called euphemism. Literature was the subject of the greatest damage from this social trend, and in 1818, the complete works of Shakespeare were published under the title “Domestic Shakespeare” by Thomas Bowdler (1754-1825), who arbitrarily deleted and altered parts that “a father would hesitate to read to his child, or a gentleman to his lady.” …

*Some of the terminology explanations that mention "euphemism" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…身体に直接着ける衣類を示す言葉もタブーとなり，trousers(ズボン)，stockings(靴下)までがunmentionables,indescribables(口にすべからざるもの)に変わる。こうした操作を婉曲語法euphemismという。この社会的風潮で最も被害を受けたのは文学であって，シェークスピア全集までがバウドラーThomas Bowdler(1754‐1825)の手で〈父親が子どもに，紳士が淑女に読んで聞かせるのをはばかるような〉部分をかってに削除，改変されて《家庭用シェークスピア》の名で出版されたのは1818年のことであった。…

※「euphemism」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報