What is the word for something that has a double meaning?

What is the word for something that has a double meaning?

double entendre
A double entendre (plural double entendres) is a figure of speech or a particular way of wording that is devised to have a double meaning, of which one is typically obvious, whereas the other often conveys a message that would be too socially awkward, sexually suggestive, or offensive to state directly.

What is it called when something has a double meaning in literature?

A double entendre is a subtle literary device that uses one statement to convey two very different meanings. Taken literally, a double entendre is usually an innocent statement that has no ironic or inappropriate overtones.

When something can have more than one meaning?

adjective. open to or having several possible meanings or interpretations; equivocal: an ambiguous answer. Linguistics. (of an expression) exhibiting constructional homonymity; having two or more structural descriptions, as the sequence Flying planes can be dangerous.

What is Polysemantic?

Definitions of polysemantic. adjective. of words; having many meanings. synonyms: polysemous ambiguous. having more than one possible meaning.

What does Equivocality mean?

1. Open to two or more interpretations and often intended to conceal the truth. See Synonyms at ambiguous. 2. Characterized by a mixture of opposing elements and therefore questionable or uncertain: Evidence of the drug’s effectiveness has been equivocal.

What is a synonym for ambiguous?

Some common synonyms of ambiguous are cryptic, dark, enigmatic, equivocal, obscure, and vague.

How does Shakespeare use this word to create multiple meanings?

As double entendre is a phrase that expresses double meanings, the purpose of using double entendre is usually to articulate one thing perfectly and indirectly. This is generally an insult, or an insinuation. Shakespeare made use of this device to add humor to his work.

Which word has the most different meanings?

set
According to Guinness World Records, the word that has the most meanings in the English language is the verb “set.” “Set” has 430 senses listed in the second edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, which was published in 1989.

What is the meaning of polysemous?

: having multiple meanings. Other Words from polysemous Example Sentences Learn More About polysemous.

How do you use Polysemantic in a sentence?

RhymeZone: Use polysemantic in a sentence. Significant mentions of polysemantic: His paintings have been noted for being polysemantic . …is explained as a misdirected and irrelevant SA as an outcome of the functional deficiency of the polysemantic right-hemispheric way of thinking.

What words have two or more meanings?

Polysemy is the association of one word with two or more distinct meanings, and a polyseme is a word or phrase with multiple meanings. The word “polysemy” comes from the Greek for “many signs.”. The adjective forms of the word include polysemous or polysemic. In contrast,…

What are words with two or more meanings called?

Also called antagonyms, autoantonyms, or Janus words, contronyms are words with two definitions that contradict-or are the reverse of-each other. Put another way, “a contronym is a word with a homonym (another word with the same spelling but different meaning) that is also an antonym (a word with the opposite meaning),” according to Grammarly.

Which word has the most meanings?

English word with the most meanings. Share. The word with the most meanings in English is the verb ‘set’, with 430 senses listed in the Second Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary , published in 1989. The word commands the longest entry in the dictionary at 60,000 words, or 326,000 characters.

What is a double meaning phrase?

double meaning (plural double meanings) The situation in which a word or phrase has two different, often opposite, meanings. For example, wicked can mean both “good” and “bad”.