ten-cent word

ten-cent word (plural ten-cent words)

1. (idiomatic) A short and common word used in place of a longer and more uncommon one.
   • 2013, Boris Fishman, The Creative Writer, Level Three: Building Your Craft‎, Peace Hill Press, →ISBN:

     One important note: Exchanging a ten-cent word (“chew”) for a ten-dollar synonym (“masticate”) is NOT the point here. Overly fancy words are just that—overly fancy.

• ten-dollar word
• five-dollar word
• twenty-five cent word