What is a Double Entendre?
A phrase that has a double meaning, often of a sexual nature as well as a more innocent one.
Double entendre: When One Meaning Just Isn't Enough
Double entendres can be a playful addition to any form of creative writing, but they require a deft hand and a way with words to pull off successfully.
These clever turns of phrase operate on two levels simultaneously, conveying two distinct meanings in the same words. They often rely on puns or wordplay to achieve their effect, and they can be as subtle or as overt as the author wants them to be.
While double entendres can be used in any form of writing, they are perhaps most commonly associated with comedies and bawdy humor. Many classic works of literature, from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales to Shakespeare's Hamlet, feature double entendres of varying degrees of explicitness.
However, it's worth noting that not all double entendres are sexual in nature. The term simply refers to any phrase or expression that can be interpreted in two different ways, whether innocent or suggestive.
One well-known example comes from Hamlet, in Act III, Scene II, when the title character responds to Polonius's question of what he is reading with the words, 'Words, words, words.' On one level, Hamlet is simply stating that he is reading a book, but on another level, he may be suggesting that the words are meaningless and that Polonius is wasting his time by focusing on them.
An example from The Canterbury Tales occurs in the Pardoner's Tale, when he notes that 'Radix malorum est Cupiditas,' which translates to 'The root of evil is greed.' However, 'radix' could also be interpreted as 'radish,' leading to the double meaning of 'The radish of evil is greed.'