A
double entendre (pronounced /ˌduː.bᵊl.ɑ̃ːnˈtɑ̃ːn.drə/ (BrE)) or
adianoeta[1] is a
figure of speech in which a spoken
phrase is devised to be understood in either of two ways. Often the first meaning is straightforward, while the second meaning is less so often
risqué, inappropriate, or
ironic.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines a double entendre as especially being used to "convey an indelicate meaning". It is often used to express potentially offensive opinions without the risks of explicitly doing so.
A double entendre may exploit puns to convey the second meaning, but puns are more often used in sentences that do not have a second meaning. Double entendres tend to rely more on multiple meanings of words, or different interpretations of the same primary meaning; they often exploit ambiguity and may be used to introduce it deliberately in a text.
In some double entendres, the second meaning may require replacing an "innocent" word by a completely dissimilar "risqué" one, this "key" being suggested only by the context, or by the altered sentence being known to the audience.
