If you have ever heard someone use the term ‘double entendre’ in a conversation, you may have questioned what it meant. Let’s have a look into the meaning of this term and how it can be used in conversation. We will also look at where the saying came from originally.
Double Entendre Meaning and Origin
- A double entendre is a phrase or expression with two interpretations, one of which is often humorous or suggestive.
Double Entendre Meaning
A double entendre is a word or a phrase that has a double meaning. One meaning is usually straightforward and innocent, while the other is often more suggestive, humorous, or risqué.
Double entendres are often used in literature, comedy, and everyday conversation to add layers of meaning, create humor, or make subtle, playful references. The term comes from French, meaning “double meaning,” and plays on the dual interpretations that a single phrase can convey.
For example, in Shakespeare’s plays, characters frequently use double entendres to make witty or sly remarks that can be interpreted in multiple ways.
Origin of this Term
The term double entendre originates from French, where it literally means “double meaning.” The phrase comes from the Old French words “double” (meaning “double” or “twofold”) and “entendre” (meaning “to understand” or “to mean”).
Although the exact term “double entendre” is not directly used in modern French, the concept dates back to the Renaissance and earlier, where wordplay and dual meanings were often employed in literature and conversation to add wit, humor, or subtlety. The term became widely adopted in English in the late 17th century.
Related Terms to Double Entendre
- Innuendo: A subtle or indirect remark or hint, often with a suggestive or hidden meaning.
- Pun: A form of wordplay that exploits multiple meanings of a term or words that sound similar but have different meanings, often for humorous effect.
- Ambiguity: A phrase or statement that can be interpreted in more than one way, sometimes intentionally unclear or vague.
These terms are often used in literature, speech, and writing to create layered meanings, add humor, or convey messages indirectly.
Other Ways to Say the Phrase
Of course, as with many phrases, there are other ways in which you can express the meaning of the term ‘double entendre.’ Here are some examples of things you could say.
- Innuendo
- Double meaning
- Pun intended
Double Entendre Examples
Example Sentences
You would use this term when you heard a phrase that was intended for its literal use, but also could refer to a more sexy or funny thing. For example, if you heard someone say “Emma is soaking wet,” it would most likely mean that she has been caught in the rain. However, the phrase could also be interpreted differently depending on the context, making it an example of a double entendre.
You might also use this to convey a hidden meaning, such as a sentence like “I’d love to be working underneath Tony” could mean that you would like Tony to be your supervisor at work. Depending on the context, however, the wording may also be interpreted in another unintended way, making it a double entendre.
Other examples:
- He is a master of the pun and the double entendre.
- I found none of the double entendres in Whiplash Whispers funny, and the illustrations were a bit tasteless.
- It was funny surely, because it dissolved that secret source of female power into a double entendre.
Conversation Examples
If you are curious to know how to use the term ‘double entendre’ in a conversation, here are some examples of how it could be done. In the first conversation, the people are referring to jokes made by a comedian as double entendres. Then, in the second conversation, we see two people talking about how someone regularly uses a double entendre. Finally, we see someone using a double entendre in a conversation, when he refers to drawers, he is talking about an item of furniture, but drawers is also another word for underwear.
Conversation 1:
- Person 1: “I went to see that new comedian last night.”
- Person 2: “How was he?”
- Person 1: “The show was excellent, full of double entendre.”
Conversation 2:
- Person 1: “Samantha is such a funny person; she is always saying things that make me laugh.”
- Person 2: “Yes, but she can be a little risque with how often she will use a double entendre.”
Conversation 3:
- Person 1: “Why are you so annoyed?”
- Person 1: “My drawers are broken.”
- Person 2: “You want to be careful there isn’t a draft.”