A double entendre is a word or phrase that carries two meanings, one of them usually risqué or ironic. The ambiguity is intentional and invites the audience to notice both senses.

Comedy, advertising, and flirtatious dialogue rely heavily on the device. The surface meaning remains plausible, while the secondary meaning supplies humor, innuendo, or critique. Success depends on the audience’s ability to perceive the second sense without the speaker having to underline it. When the double meaning is too obscure, the effect is lost; when it is too obvious, the wit evaporates.

Double entendre differs from general ambiguity by the deliberate pairing of an innocent and a loaded reading. It has a long history in English literature, from Chaucer and Shakespeare to modern stand-up and copywriting. The device can be playful or pointed, depending on context and delivery.

A phrase that says one thing and clearly implies another, often with a wink, is a double entendre.