double entendre

[ duhb-uhl ahn-tahn-druh, -tahnd; French doo-blahn-tahn-druh ]

noun

, plural dou·ble en·ten·dres [duhb, -, uh, l ahn-, tahn, -dr, uh, z, -, tahndz, doo-blah, n, -, tahn, -d, r, uh].

1. a double meaning.
2. a word or expression used in a given context so that it can be understood in two ways, especially when one meaning is risqué.

double entendre

/ dubl ɑ̃tɑ̃drə; ˈdʌbəl ɑːnˈtɑːndrə; -ˈtɑːnd /

noun

1. a word, phrase, etc, that can be interpreted in two ways, esp one having one meaning that is indelicate
2. the type of humour that depends upon such ambiguity

double-entendre

1. A word or expression that has two different meanings (in French, double-entendre means “double meaning”), one of which is often bawdy or indelicate. A double-entendre is found in this sentence: “A nudist camp is simply a place where men and women meet to air their differences.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of double entendre¹

From obsolete French, dating back to 1665–75; double, intend

Word History and Origins

Origin of double entendre¹

C17: from obsolete French: double meaning

Related Words

• innuendo
• pun