code word

American  

noun

1. code name.

2. a euphemistic or politically acceptable catchword or phrase used instead of a blunter or less acceptable term.

   The official report said the diplomats had a “frank and serious discussion”—code words for “angry argument.”

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Etymology

Origin of code word

First recorded in 1880–85

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

code word

Failures were uncovered by the BBC in 2024 when secret filming found that in more than half of the London venues they visited, staff failed to respond to the code word.

From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026

Dillehay held herself out as an example of a woman who failed; she said she had dated men who were “flippant,” which appears to be her code word for fun.

From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026

And given AI can now copy anybody’s voice in minutes, gather the family together and decide on a secret code word to use, to verify emergency calls are really coming who they say they are.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 21, 2025

If you worry you’ll forget the code word, you could store it in a password manager.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2025

In an emergency they are supposed to say a code word, MAMAN, and speak directly to me in German.

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein

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