double entendre

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

/ ˈdʌb əl ɑnˈtɑn drə, -ˈtɑnd; French du blɑ̃ˈtɑ̃ drə /

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noun, plural dou·ble en·ten·dres

[duhb-uhl ahn-tahn-druhz, -tahndz; French doo-blahn-tahn-druh]. /ˈdʌb əl ɑnˈtɑn drəz, -ˈtɑndz; French du blɑ̃ˈtɑ̃ drə/.

a double meaning.

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

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of double entendre

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use double entendre in a sentence

But the entendre and innuendo permeates the rest of the series—often innocently, but sometimes far more blatantly.
‘Mozart in the Jungle’: Inside Amazon’s Brave New World of Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music|Kevin Fallon|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
"Hello Kitty" as a double entendre is actually surprisingly modest and sneaky.
Avril Lavigne’s Dumb ‘Hello Kitty’ Video Is Rife with Cultural Appropriation|Amy Zimmerman|April 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Biden has shown before that he loves a good double—or even triple—entendre.
'Buy a Shotgun!' & More of Joe Biden's Never-Ending Gaffes|Caitlin Dickson|February 20, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The double entendre works, says Ward, whose job includes inventing these combinations and giving them catchy names.
Hotels Lure High-End Clients With In-Room Cocktail Service|Elyse Moody|July 15, 2012|DAILY BEAST

He followed that up with a decidedly single-entendre tribute to Just Go With It star Brooklyn Decker's, uh, assets.
7 Wildest Moments from the 2011 MTV Movie Awards|Shannon Donnelly|June 6, 2011|DAILY BEAST
A double-entendre is designed here, and the same is often to be found in old plays.
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 10 (of 15)|Various
Il y est resté trois ans sans entendre parler de ce que nous appelons ici l'autorité.
How to Observe|Harriet Martineau
Devez entendre que la pluspart de cette ville, hommes et femmes, tiennent fermement l'ancienne foi.
History of the Great Reformation, Volume IV|J. H. Merle D'Aubign
Now large teeth do not lend themselves to well-spoken comedy scenes, to smiles, or to double entendre.
The Elusive Pimpernel|Baroness Emmuska Orczy
It was impossible to think of telling her a nasty story, a "double entendre" fell flat when she was there.
My War Experiences in Two Continents|Sarah Macnaughtan

British Dictionary definitions for double entendre

double entendre

/ (ˈdʌbəl ɑːnˈtɑːndrə, -ˈtɑːnd, French dubl ɑ̃tɑ̃drə) /

noun

a word, phrase, etc, that can be interpreted in two ways, esp one having one meaning that is indelicate

the type of humour that depends upon such ambiguity

Word Origin for double entendre

C17: from obsolete French: double meaning

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for double entendre

double-entendre

[ (dub-uhl-ahn-tahn-druh; dooh-blahnn-tahnn-druh) ]

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.”

double entendre

Origin of double entendre

Words related to double entendre

How to use double entendre in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for double entendre

Word Origin for double entendre

Cultural definitions for double entendre