double entendre
C1Formal, literary, and humorous contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A word or phrase open to two interpretations, one of which is usually risqué or indecent.
A figure of speech or a particular way of wording that is devised to have a double meaning, often with one meaning being more subtle, sophisticated, or taboo than the other.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Strictly a noun. The term implies deliberate cleverness or wit, often used in comedy, literature, and flirtatious conversation. The 'double' part is always present; it's not a single, ambiguous statement but one crafted with two distinct layers.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The term is borrowed from French and used identically in both dialects.
Connotations
Carries connotations of wit, sophistication, and often (but not exclusively) sexual innuendo. In both regions, it is associated with clever wordplay.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in British English, reflecting its historical French influence, but it is a well-established and commonly understood term in educated American English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[verb] + a double entendre (e.g., use, make, employ, contain)full of + double entendresadjective + double entendre (e.g., obvious, subtle)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Laced with double entendres”
- “To be thick with double meaning”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare and generally inappropriate, except perhaps in marketing for playful or risqué products.
Academic
Used in literary criticism, linguistics (pragmatics), and media studies when analyzing wordplay and subtext.
Everyday
Used in discussions about comedy, jokes, flirting, or analysing clever/adult humour in films or conversation.
Technical
Used in rhetoric, comedy writing, and literary analysis as a specific term for a type of ambiguous figure of speech.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- It is not standard to verb this word.
- One might 'employ a double entendre'.
American English
- It is not standard to verb this word.
- Comedians often 'weave in a double entendre'.
adverb
British English
- Not used as an adverb.
- He spoke suggestively, full of double entendres.
American English
- Not used as an adverb.
- She remarked ambiguously, leaving room for a double entendre.
adjective
British English
- Not used as an adjective. Use 'double-edged', 'ambiguous', or 'suggestive'.
- The line was intentionally double-edged.
American English
- Not used as an adjective. Use 'double-meaning' as a compound adjective informally.
- He told a very suggestive joke.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I don't understand that joke; it has two meanings.
- Sometimes words can mean different things.
- The comedian's joke had a hidden meaning that made people laugh.
- She didn't realise his comment was a playful joke with two interpretations.
- The song's lyrics are full of clever double entendres that older listeners will appreciate.
- His speech was carefully written to include a subtle double entendre about the political situation.
- The playwright's use of double entendre serves both to amuse the groundlings and to offer a cynical critique to the educated nobles.
- While the line seemed innocuous, its deliberate double entendre revealed the character's true, salacious intent.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'ENTENDRE' sounds like 'intend to' in French. A 'double entendre' is a phrase that 'intends to' mean two things at once.
Conceptual Metaphor
LANGUAGE IS A VEIL (one meaning is visible, the other is hidden beneath).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid directly translating as 'двойное значение' (double meaning). While close, it loses the specific nuance of deliberate, often risqué wit. The term 'двусмысленность' (ambiguity) is more general and often negative. 'Игра слов' (play on words) is the closest common equivalent, but doesn't inherently carry the risqué connotation.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'double entandre' or 'double entendre'.
- Using it as an adjective (e.g., 'That joke was very double entendre'). It is only a noun.
- Using it for any ambiguous statement rather than one crafted with two *distinct* interpretations, one often indecent.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is a 'double entendre' LEAST likely to be appropriately used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, but it very often is. The classic definition highlights that one meaning is typically indecent or risqué. However, it can be any form of clever double meaning, where the secondary meaning is simply more subtle or sophisticated.
All double entendres are a type of pun, but not all puns are double entendres. A pun plays on similar sounds or multiple meanings of a word for humorous effect. A double entendre is a specific type of pun where one of the meanings is suggestive, indecent, or not suitable for a straightforward interpretation.
In British English, it is often pronounced closer to the French: /ɒnˈtɒn.drə/. In American English, it is commonly anglicised to /ɑːnˈtɑːn.drə/. The 't' is pronounced, and the final 'e' is not silent.
Yes, the standard plural is 'double entendres'. Since it is a fully adopted English phrase, it follows standard English pluralisation rules by adding an 's'.