sublanguage

American

[suhb-lang-gwij] / ˈsʌbˌlæŋ gwɪdʒ /

noun

a subvariety of language used in a particular field or by a particular social group and characterized especially by distinctive vocabulary.

First recorded in 1930–35; sub- + language

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Jargon, the sublanguage peculiar to any trade, contributes to euphemism when its terms seep into general use.

From Time Magazine Archive

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023