triple entendre

9.9

A phrase that has three different meanings used to make a joke or point

noun
/ˈtrɪpəl ɒ̃tɑ̃ːdʁ/

Literature

: triple sentido

Her song uses a subtle triple entendre to comment on politics, romance, and freedom all at once.

It's still good because he's still saying crazy shit, crazy cadences, double triple entendres.

Examples

The comedian's joke was a masterful triple entendre that left the audience laughing and thinking.
Critics praised the novel for its clever use of triple entendre throughout the dialogue.
That's a clever triple entendre!
The phrase was a clever triple entendre that left everyone confused.
Critics praised the novel for its clever use of triple entendre throughout the dialogue.
Her song uses a subtle triple entendre to comment on politics, romance, and freedom all at once.
The comedian's joke was a masterful triple entendre that left the audience laughing and thinking.

Synonyms

to pun

vstriple entendre

2 5.5

To make a joke using the different meanings of a word or words that sound the same

refers to a phrase that deliberately has three distinct meanings

Surface Forms

triple entendre singular

triple entendres plural

Morphology

triple + entendre

The meaning 'a phrase with three distinct meanings' is directly and compositionally derived from 'triple' (threefold) combined with 'entendre' (meaning/interpretation). This follows the same transparent pattern as 'double entendre' and would be readily inferable by a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.

Etymology

Triple entendre brings together triple, which means three, and entendre, and it grew from the earlier double entendre, a short phrase that hides two meanings. Imagine a line like three hidden doors: one plain meaning, one cheeky meaning, and a clever third meaning, so 'triple entendre' means 'a phrase with three meanings' used in jokes, stories, and songs.