double-decker

noun

A vehicle (usually a bus, coach or train) or aircraft with two floors.

Meanings

noundouble-decker (plural double-deckers)

plural double-deckers · alternative doubledecker · alternative double decker

  1. A vehicle (usually a bus, coach or train) or aircraft with two floors.
  2. A frigate with two decks above the waterline.
  3. figurativelyAny object with two layers or parts stacked on top of each other.
    1. figurativelyA sandwich with three slices of bread, whose toppings are on both sides of the middle slice.
  4. journalismA headline that is two lines long.

    A double-decker is a term used for someone who functions as both. Double-deckers and Kothis have a high risk of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases according to studies among different MSM sub-groups in the nation.

    2016 June 6, “Understanding LGBTQ+: An exhaustive explainer on gender and sexual identities”, in The News Minute
    2 more examples

    Indian MSM include self-identified gay men (Western acculturated), kothis (men who tend to be the receptive male partner in anal and oral sex and typically have more effeminate mannerisms), panthis (men who tend to be the insertive male partner in anal and oral sex), and double deckers (men who are both receptive and insertive partners). While MSM may self-identify as kothi, the terms panthi and double-decker are generally given by kothis to their male partners based on their sexual roles.

    2011 December 28, Beena Thomas et al., “HIV in Indian MSM: Reasons for a concentrated epidemic & strategies for prevention”, in The Indian Journal of Medical Research, volume 134, number 6, →DOI, →ISSN, →PMID, page 921

    Participants were either kothi (feminine acting, usually the receptive sexual partner) or double-decker (either insertive or receptive sexual partner; usually has male and female partners) at screening, and were required to speak English, Tamil (in Chennai), or Hindi (in Mumbai) fluently.

    2021 April 28, Steven A Safren et al., “Strengthening resilience to reduce HIV risk in Indian MSM: a multicity, randomised, clinical efficacy trial”, in The Lancet Global Health, volume 9, number 4, →DOI, →PMID, page e448

    Synonyms: versatile, vers, switch

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA headline that is two lines long.

More synonyms by meaning

nouna vehicle carrying many passengers; used for public transport

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*dwóh₁
  2. Proto-Indo-European*dwi-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*dwiplós
  4. Proto-Italic*dwiplos
  5. Proto-Italic*duplos
  6. Latinduplus
  7. Old Frenchdoble
  8. Middle Englishdouble
  9. Englishdouble
  10. Proto-Indo-European*(s)teg-
  11. Proto-Germanic*þaką
  12. Proto-Germanic*þakjaną
  13. Proto-West Germanic*þakkjan
  14. Old Dutchthecken
  15. Middle Dutchdeckendeverb.
  16. Middle Dutchdec
  17. Middle Englishdekke
  18. Englishdeck
  19. Englishdouble-decker

From double + deck + -er.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic حافلة بطابقين, حافلة ذات طابقين
  • حافلة بطابقينbus with two decks
  • حافلة ذات طابقينbus with two decks
Bulgarian двуета́жен авто́бус
  • двуета́жен авто́бус (dvuetážen avtóbus)bus with two decks
Chinese Cantonese 雙層巴士 /双层巴士
  • 雙層巴士 /双层巴士bus with two decks
Chinese Mandarin 雙層公共汽車 /双层公共汽车, 雙層巴士 /双层巴士
  • 雙層公共汽車 /双层公共汽车 (shuāngcéng gōnggòngqìchē)bus with two decks
  • 雙層巴士 /双层巴士 (shuāngcéng bāshì)bus with two decks
Danish dobbeltdækker
  • dobbeltdækkerbus with two decks
Dutch dubbeldekker
  • dubbeldekkerbus with two decks
Finnish kaksikerroksinen bussi, kaksikerroksinen junanvaunu
  • kaksikerroksinen bussibus with two decks
  • kaksikerroksinen junanvaunubus with two decks
French bus à impériale, autobus à impériale
  • bus à impérialebus with two decks
  • autobus à impérialebus with two decks
German Doppeldecker
  • Doppeldeckerbus with two decks
Japanese 2階建車両, 2階建てバス
  • 2階建車両 (nikai date sharyō)bus with two decks
  • 2階建てバス (nikai date basu)bus with two decks
  • ダブルデッカー (daburudekkā)bus with two decks
Korean 2층 버스
  • 2층 버스 (icheung beoseu)bus with two decks
Malay bas dua tingkat
  • bas dua tingkatbus with two decks
Polish piętrus, pojazd piętrowy
  • piętrusbus with two decks
  • pojazd piętrowybus with two decks
Portuguese autocarro de dois andares, ônibus de dois andares
  • autocarro de dois andaresbus with two decks
  • ônibus de dois andaresbus with two decks
Russian двухэта́жный авто́бус, даблде́кер
  • двухэта́жный авто́бус (dvuxɛtážnyj avtóbus)bus with two decks
  • даблде́кер (dabldɛ́ker)bus with two decks
Spanish autobús de dos pisos
  • autobús de dos pisosbus with two decks
Swedish dubbeldäckare
  • dubbeldäckarebus with two decks
Turkish çift katlı otobüs
  • çift katlı otobüsbus with two decks
Cite this entry
APA

double-decker. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/double-decker

MLA

“double-decker.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/double-decker. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “double-decker,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/double-decker.

Source: double-decker on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.