Dictionary

equivocal en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ɪˈkwɪvək(ə)l/ (US)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /əˈkwɪvəkəl/ (UK)

Etymology

From Late Latin aequivocus + -al, from aequus + vocō. By surface analysis, equi- + vocal.

Meanings

1. Having two or more equally applicable meanings; capable of double or multiple interpretation.
   • For the beauties of Shakespeare are not of so dim or equivocal a nature as to be visible only to learned eyes. 1817, William Hazlitt, Characters of Shakespeare's Plays:
   • equivocal words
   • an equivocal sentence
2. Capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters; deserving to be suspected.
   • His actions are equivocal.
   • From that position he observed his confederate go through the curious procedure of kneeling down on the bedroom floor and for a full minute pressing his ear to the sheet of metal that had already engaged his attention. Then he rose to his feet, nodded, dusted his trousers, and Mr Carlyle moved to a less equivocal position. 1914, Ernest Bramah, Max Carrados:
   • equivocal repentances 1649, J[ohn] Milton, ΕΙΚΟΝΟΚΛΆΣΤΗΣ [Eikonoklástēs] […], London: […] Matthew Simmons, […], →OCLC:
3. Uncertain, as an indication or sign.
   • How equivocal a test. 1796, Edmund Burke, A Letter from the Right Honourable Edmund Burke to a Noble Lord, on the Attacks Made upon Him and His Pension, […], London: […] J. Owen, […], and F[rancis] and C[harles] Rivington, […], →OCLC:

Forms

Antonyms

certain · univocal · unequivocal

Deriveds

equivocality · equivocally · equivocalness · equivocal generation

Relateds

equivocation · equivoque

Synonyms

doubtful · indeterminate · ambiguous · uncertain · incongruous

Translations (73)

fi moniselitteinen (having several applicable significations) · pl wymijający (capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters) · fr incertain (capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters) · pl dwuznaczny (having several applicable significations) · fr équivoque (having several applicable significations) · pl niejednoznaczny (having several applicable significations) · bg несигурен (uncertain, doubtful) · ru сомни́тельный (uncertain, doubtful) · pl niejasny (uncertain, doubtful) · uk двозначний (having several applicable significations) · fi kyseenalainen (uncertain, doubtful) · id taksa (having several applicable significations) · pl wieloznaczny (having several applicable significations) · el διφορούμενος (having several applicable significations) · it ambivalente (capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters) · it ambivalente (having several applicable significations) · tr tevriyeli (having several applicable significations) · ro echivoc (uncertain, doubtful) · tr belirsiz (uncertain, doubtful) · pl ambiwalentny (capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters) · el διφορούμενος (capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters) · pt equívoco (having several applicable significations) · mk сомнителен (capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters) · fr équivoque (capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters) · it ingannevole (having several applicable significations) · uk сумнівний (uncertain, doubtful) · de mehrdeutig (having several applicable significations) · ja 両意にとれる (having several applicable significations) · el αμφίλογος (having several applicable significations) · uk сумнівний (capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters) · de zweifelhaft (uncertain, doubtful) · it dubbioso (uncertain, doubtful) · es equívoco (having several applicable significations) · bg съмнителен (uncertain, doubtful) · fi epäselvä (uncertain, doubtful) · fr indéterminé (capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters) · it dubbio (having several applicable significations) · tr müphem (uncertain, doubtful) · de fragwürdig (capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters) · de fragwürdig (uncertain, doubtful) · nl dubbelzinnig (having several applicable significations) · bg двусмислен (having several applicable significations) · ru сомни́тельный (capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters) · fi epäjohdonmukainen (uncertain, doubtful) · pl niepewny (uncertain, doubtful) · fr ambigu (having several applicable significations) · de zweifelhaft (capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters) · fi epäilyttävä (uncertain, doubtful) · it ambiguo (having several applicable significations) · fi moniselitteinen (capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters) · de zweideutig (capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters) · sv tvetydig (having several applicable significations) · de doppeldeutig (having several applicable significations) · tr ikircikli (uncertain, doubtful) · mk двосмислен (having several applicable significations) · ru двусмы́сленный (having several applicable significations) · ro ambiguu (having several applicable significations) · nl twijfelachtig (capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters) · tl ekiboko (having several applicable significations) · ro echivoc (having several applicable significations) · el αβέβαιος (uncertain, doubtful) · mk сомнителен (uncertain, doubtful) · fr douteux (capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters) · fr équivoque (uncertain, doubtful) · id dwimakna (having several applicable significations) · ja 曖昧な (uncertain, doubtful) · nl twijfelachtig (uncertain, doubtful) · fi epämääräinen (capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters) · fi monitulkintainen (having several applicable significations) · it equivoco (having several applicable significations) · it equivoco (uncertain, doubtful) · fr incertain (having several applicable significations) · fi monimerkityksinen (having several applicable significations)

equivocal en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ɪˈkwɪvək(ə)l/ (US)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /əˈkwɪvəkəl/ (UK)

Etymology

From Late Latin aequivocus + -al, from aequus + vocō. By surface analysis, equi- + vocal.

Meanings

1. A word or expression capable of different meanings; an ambiguous term.
   • 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. 2012, Deborah Achtenberg, Cognition of Value in Aristotle's Ethics:

Forms

Synonyms

double entendre · equivoque

Translations (6)

it ambiguo (A word or expression capable of different meanings) · es equívoco (A word or expression capable of different meanings) · it equivoco (A word or expression capable of different meanings) · it a varie interpretazioni (A word or expression capable of different meanings) · pl niepewność (A word or expression capable of different meanings) · pl niejasność (A word or expression capable of different meanings)