a-word

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English

Noun

a-word (plural a-words)

  1. (euphemistic) A bad word that starts with the letter a, such as ass/arse or asshole/arsehole.
  2. (euphemistic, Christianity) The word alleluia, typically in the context of Lent since the Lenten liturgies of various Christian churches omit the alleluia.
    • 2008, Mary Poplin, Finding Calcutta: What Mother Teresa Taught Me About Meaningful Work and Service, →ISBN, page 71:
      It was Lent; “alleluia” is not sung in the Catholic church during Lent. I told her Babloo liked songs with the “A-word.”
    • 2009, Melinda A. Quivik, Serving the Word, →ISBN, page 43:
      My congregation is frustrated because we can’t sing carols during Advent, and now we can’t say the A-word during Lent.
    • 2022 April 1, Keith Dorwick, “Deeper and deeper into Lenten quiet”, in Peninsula Daily News‎:
      What we give up — the A-word. I added what we call the A-word in Lent, since we stop saying “a-l-l-e-l-u-i-a” for this season (Shhhh!).
  3. Any word beginning with a that is not normally taboo but is considered (often humorously) to be so in the given context.
    • 2010, Ken Siri, “Diagnosis and Evaluation—Formation”, in 1,001 Tips for the Parents of Autistic Boys, page 17:
      Specialists sometimes choose PDD-NOS instead of an autism diagnosis because they are afraid that the “a-word” frightens patients.

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