equivocation

Pronunciation: /ɪˌkwɪvəˈkeɪʃən/

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a statement that is not literally false but that cleverly avoids an unpleasant truth
  2. noun intentionally vague or ambiguous
  3. noun falsification by means of vague or ambiguous language

Etymology

c. 1380, from Middle English equivocacion, from Old French equivocation, from Medieval Latin aequivocātiō, from aequivocō, from Late Latin aequivocus (“ambiguous, equivocal”), from Latin aequus (“equal”) + vocō (“call”); a calque of Ancient Greek ὁμωνυμία (homōnumía).

In classic literature

Synonyms

evasion

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
misrepresentation
Narrower (hyponyms)
hedge, doublespeak, circumlocution, quibble

A single word — an entire dictionary opens.

Type a word, a sentence, a book title, or a link to an English article. WordNet and the Classics answer.

Try

A library of classics · a vault of words · instant etymology & meaning

Continue reading

Nice save! Solidify it with review →