This, however, is not the whole story. The phrase was already current when printers gave it this new meaning in the early 19th century. Its use can be dated to 1620 but its origin is unclear. In our opinion, this is a misuse of the word epithet . Let's do a little grammar.
Grammarians call such words epithets .
To euphemize racial abuse with grandiose terminology like racial epithet not only helps to disguise the hatred in the original words but, we believe, is technically incorrect. If someone is called a nigger , that word is, grammatically, a noun. Wogs is a racially offensive word but it is simply a noun, not an epithet . Unfortunately, such niceties of grammar are lost on the general public. See also how Death Valley got its name .