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

Example Sentences

She has fun with shock value at first, ditching the double entendre to straight up say “come right on me,” but jokingly corrects herself as if becoming shy, replacing it with the similar word “camaraderie.”

From Salon

The lack of subversion extends to the score, a bland assemblage of British music hall pastiche that stretches its comedic wings most confidently toward double entendre.

From Seattle Times

The double entendre sets a cheeky tone that Molly McGlynn, the film’s writer and director, strives to carry through every scene.

From New York Times

Reciting them aloud is essential to the process, because the words have to roll off the tongue for maximum effect — all the better if they contain therein a double entendre.

From Salon

The title “Foe” is also a pun, though the rest of the movie is not so offensively bad as that double entendre; it’s just so lacking in substance and momentum as to be entirely inert.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• innuendo
• pun