# mince words

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˌmɪns ˈwɜːdz/

## Definitions
1. To restrain oneself when speaking by withholding some comments or using euphemisms in order to be polite, tactful, etc.

## Etymology
From mince (“to say or utter vaguely (not directly or frankly)”, transitive figurative verb) + words. First attested in the mid-1500s.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/mince-words