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What is a good word to use to describe a word that was used in history but now is becoming obsolete in literature because of its racial, cultural, or ethical bias implications?

For example, what is a good word to use to describe:

  • Virginity (associated with the commodification of people especially women in that those who have not had sex are seen as more pure and desirable)
  • Homosexual (appears neutral but is associated with derogatory projections of gay people. It is becoming replaced by the terms gay/same-sex orientation etc.)
  • Nigger (while used still as a casual slang term amongst friends, the word is no longer acceptable in any form of public writing except when it is brought up to be discussed for its historical context).

Thanks!

EDIT: I want to edit this so that it’s clearer that maybe “obsolete” is not the best word here, as simply “being driven out of usage by its traditional context in formal literature” may describe what I’m looking for better. The term may still be used in slang or whatnot, but would not be considered prudent or even be considered offensive in formal conversation or literature.

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    "Archaic" comes close.
    – Hot Licks
    Commented Oct 21, 2020 at 19:32
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    I need some help in understanding what you are asking for. At first I thought you were talking about words which were what are called 'archaic' or ' archaisms': that is words that have been in common use but have fallen out of use. But you seem to be talking about words that have been widely used but which are now widely considered unacceptable. Such a word will never be like archaisms, if only because they some could come back. What exactly are you looking for?
    – Tuffy
    Commented Oct 21, 2020 at 20:06
  • Thanks Tuffy, the latter definition that you gave would be what I am looking for. Sorry that it’s not explicit in the question since I wanted to keep the word count lower.
    – RosaryLightning X
    Commented Oct 21, 2020 at 20:17
  • It's not a single word and I don't think that there is a single word for this concept but you could call such words "no longer acceptable". This encapsulates the idea that the word used to acceptable and, as such, widely used but is now considered to be so offensive that polite people do not use it any more.
    – BoldBen
    Commented Oct 21, 2020 at 20:51
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    It is probably worthwhile saying that your examples are massively different: Virginity and Homosexual are still widely used and are unlikely to cause offence – at least in the UK. Nigger (usually referred to as "the N-Word") is quite different. The general feeling here is that the word should not be used at all. It is about as bad as you can get. Even the use among the Black community is questionable as it is provocative to some other communities who feel that their “free speech” has been taken away.
    – Greybeard
    Commented Oct 21, 2020 at 22:17

2 Answers 2

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I would term this "lexical arhaism" or just "archaism".

According to Cambridge Dictionary: "A word or expression that is not generally used any more".

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    That may be the answer to the question formulated in the title, considered by itself, but the body of the question makes it clear that the OP is really asking something else.
    – jsw29
    Commented Oct 22, 2020 at 15:44
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    @jsw29 Usually (as here) a fair criticism, but if there is a real opportunity for interesting analysis opened up by just one of the title / body questions in some of these ambiguously-presented questions, I think either is fair game.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Feb 7, 2021 at 15:34
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When you hear some of these terms used you usually hear it from older people who at the time of their childhood, the terms mentioned above might have been socially acceptable in general use. So I have used the term geriatricly inappropriate to describe some of the words used by my grandfather, Lord rest his soul

But to address your second point about it being driven out of use you could reverse the term Youthfully appropriate

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