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equivocal. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
equivocal, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
equivocal in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
equivocal you have here. The definition of the word
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equivocal, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
From Late Latin aequivocus + -al, from aequus + vocō. By surface analysis, equi- + vocal.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /əˈkwɪvəkəl/
- (US) IPA(key): /ɪˈkwɪvək(ə)l/
- Hyphenation (UK): equivo‧cal
Adjective
equivocal (comparative more equivocal, superlative most equivocal)
- Having two or more equally applicable meanings; capable of double or multiple interpretation.
- Synonyms: ambiguous, indeterminate
- Antonyms: unequivocal, univocal
equivocal words
an equivocal sentence
1817, William Hazlitt, Characters of Shakespeare's Plays:For the beauties of Shakespeare are not of so dim or equivocal a nature as to be visible only to learned eyes.
- Capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters; deserving to be suspected.
His actions are equivocal.
- Uncertain, as an indication or sign.
- Synonyms: uncertain, doubtful, incongruous
- Antonym: certain
1796, Edmund Burke, A Letter from the Right Honourable Edmund Burke to a Noble Lord, on the Attacks Made upon Him and His Pension, , 10th edition, London: J. Owen, , and F and C Rivington, , →OCLC:How equivocal a test.
Derived terms
Translations
having several applicable significations
- Bulgarian: двусмислен (bg) (dvusmislen)
- Dutch: dubbelzinnig (nl)
- Finnish: moniselitteinen, monimerkityksinen (fi), monitulkintainen (fi)
- French: équivoque (fr) m or f, ambigu (fr) m, incertain (fr) m
- German: doppeldeutig (de), mehrdeutig (de)
- Greek: διφορούμενος (el) (diforoúmenos), αμφίλογος (el) m (amfílogos)
- Italian: equivoco (it) m, ambiguo (it) m, ambivalente (it), ingannevole (it), dubbio (it) m
- Japanese: 両意にとれる (ryōi ni toreru)
- Macedonian: двосмислен m (dvosmislen)
- Portuguese: equívoco (pt)
- Romanian: echivoc (ro), ambiguu (ro)
- Russian: двусмы́сленный (ru) (dvusmýslennyj)
- Spanish: equívoco (es)
- Swedish: tvetydig (sv)
- Ukrainian: двозначний (uk) m (dvoznačnyj)
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capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters
Noun
equivocal (plural equivocals)
- (philosophy) A word or expression capable of different meanings; an ambiguous term.
- Synonyms: double entendre, equivoque
2012, Deborah Achtenberg, Cognition of Value in Aristotle's Ethics:Some equivocals are merely ambiguous. Sharp is an example. It is equivocal since it is appropriate to call different types of things 'sharp' though what it is for them to be sharp differs.
Translations
A word or expression capable of different meanings
Further reading
- “equivocal”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “equivocal”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.