equivocal

English

Alternative forms

• æquivocal (rare, obsolete)

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /əˈkwɪvəkəl/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /ɪˈkwɪvək(ə)l/
• Hyphenation (UK): equivo‧cal

Adjective

equivocal (comparative more equivocal, superlative most equivocal)

1. 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.

2. Capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters; deserving to be suspected.

   His actions are equivocal.

   • 1649, J[ohn] Milton, ΕΙΚΟΝΟΚΛΆΣΤΗΣ [Eikonoklástēs] […], London: […] Matthew Simmons, […], →OCLC:

     equivocal repentances

3. 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[rancis] and C[harles] Rivington, […], →OCLC:

     How equivocal a test.

Derived terms

• equivocality
• equivocalness

Related terms

• equivocation
• equivoque

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)

capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters

• Dutch: twijfelachtig (nl)
• Finnish: moniselitteinen, epämääräinen (fi)
• French: douteux (fr) m, incertain (fr) m, indéterminé (fr) m, équivoque (fr) m or f
• German: fragwürdig (de), zweideutig (de), zweifelhaft (de)
• Greek: διφορούμενος (el) m (diforoúmenos)
• Italian: ambivalente (it)
• Macedonian: сомнителен m (somnitelen)
• Russian: сомни́тельный (ru) (somnítelʹnyj)
• Ukrainian: сумнівний m (sumnivnyj)

uncertain, doubtful

• Bulgarian: несигурен (bg) (nesiguren), съмнителен (bg) (sǎmnitelen)
• Dutch: twijfelachtig (nl)
• Finnish: epäilyttävä (fi), epäselvä (fi), kyseenalainen (fi), epäjohdonmukainen (fi)
• French: équivoque (fr) m or f
• German: fragwürdig (de), zweifelhaft (de)
• Greek: αβέβαιος (el) m (avévaios)
• Italian: equivoco (it), dubbioso (it)
• Japanese: 曖昧な (aimai na)
• Macedonian: сомнителен m (somnitelen)
• Romanian: echivoc (ro)
• Russian: сомни́тельный (ru) (somnítelʹnyj)
• Turkish: ikircikli (tr)
• Ukrainian: сумнівний m (sumnivnyj)

Noun

equivocal (plural equivocals)

1. (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

• Italian: equivoco (it) m, ambiguo (it) m, a varie interpretazioni f
• Spanish: equívoco (es) m

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.