double entendre

/ˈdubə ˈlɑnˌtɑndrə/

/ˈdʌbəl ɒnˈtɒndrə/

A double entendre is a word or remark that has a hidden (or not so hidden) naughty meaning. We'd give you an example, but this is a family site.

Double entendre is from a now obsolete French term, double entente, meaning literally "double understanding." The British —- masters of the art of the double entendre —- imported the phrase from their Gallic cousins. While some regard it as a low form of verbal humor, Shakespeare himself was a great lover of the form, and his plays are filled with some highly filthy examples.

Definitions of double entendre

1. noun

   an ambiguity with one interpretation that is indelicate
   type of:

   ambiguity

   an expression whose meaning cannot be determined from its context