politically correct

1790–95 (in the sense “in accordance with established norms”); 1970–75 for the more recent meaning, which evolved from earlier Communist uses in the 1920s

Since entering English in the late 1700s, the term politically correct has undergone several shifts in meaning. Originally, the term was used to describe something that was in accordance with established political, legal, or social norms or conventions. The 1870s saw the introduction of the opposite term, politically incorrect , a useful addition to the language, considering how commonly politically correct was and still is used in negative constructions.
Somewhat grimly, in the 1920s the Soviet Communist Party began using the concept of political correctness to enforce strict adherence to the party line in all aspects of life. It you were unfortunate enough to be deemed politically incorrect , you were likely to be exiled to a gulag, or worse.
Today the term politically correct (and its abbreviation PC ), more often than not, refers specifically to the language that surrounds controversial or hot-button issues. Liberals have used the negative construction not politically correct to draw attention to words, phrases, or statements that they felt were socially unacceptable or insensitive. The conservative response to this has been to question and generally reject the notion of political correctness , arguing that it too often entails “the policing of language.” As a result, critics of the term politically correct often use it to modify nouns such as “euphemism,” “nonsense,” “hogwash,” and “propaganda.”