unmentionable

Everyday

1. Unmentionable means too rude, shocking, embarrassing or upsetting to talk about. tree →
2. (joking, euphemism) «Unmentionables» is a funny polite word for underwear. tree →

In the lessons

In stories and everyday talk, people use it to avoid naming something embarrassing; it is a euphemism. In comedy, «He forgot to pack his unmentionables» means his underpants. Phrases: an unmentionable subject, his unmentionables.

Examples

• Grandma thinks some words are unmentionable at the dinner table. tree →
• The smell in the boys' changing room was unmentionable. tree →
• He hung his unmentionables on the washing line. tree →
• For many years illness was an unmentionable subject in that family. tree →
• Don't forget to pack your unmentionables, Dad joked. tree →

Note

«Un-» + «mention» + «-able». As a plural noun it means underwear and is joking. A word or topic called «unmentionable» is one people avoid; that is how euphemisms work.