Meanings
plural equivocations · alternative obsolete æquivocation
- countableuncountablehuman sciencesA logical fallacy resulting from the use of multiple meanings of a single expression.
- countableuncountableThe use of expressions susceptible of a double signification, possibly intentionally and with the aim of misleading.
Federal courts have mostly ruled against the executive branch in such cases. The equivocation that has characterized the [Trump] administration’s legal responses to date is turning into objection and refusal.
2025 April 18, Henry Gass, “Amid deportation dispute, Trump and courts square off on who has last word”, in The Christian Science Monitor
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna statement that is not literally false but that cleverly avoids an unpleasant truth
nounintentionally vague or ambiguous
nounfalsification by means of vague or ambiguous language
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinaequus“equal”
- Late Latinaequivocus“ambiguous, equivocal”
- Medieval Latinaequivocātiō
- Old Frenchequivocation
- Middle Englishequivocacion
- Englishequivocation
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).
More words from Middle English, Old French, Medieval Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian двусмислица
- двусмислица (dvusmislica)Expression susceptible of a double signification, possibly misleading
Chinese Mandarin 偷換概念 /偷换概念, 模棱兩可 /模棱两可
- 偷換概念 /偷换概念 (tōuhuàn gàiniàn)Logical fallacy
- 模棱兩可 /模棱两可 (móléngliǎngkě)Expression susceptible of a double signification, possibly misleading
Dutch ambiguïteitsdrogreden, equivocatie
- ambiguïteitsdrogredenLogical fallacy
- equivocatieLogical fallacy
- gelijknamigheidLogical fallacy
- dubbelzinnigheidExpression susceptible of a double signification, possibly misleading
French équivocité, équivoque
- équivocitéLogical fallacy
- équivoqueLogical fallacy
- équivoqueExpression susceptible of a double signification, possibly misleading
- quiproquoExpression susceptible of a double signification, possibly misleading
German Mehrdeutigkeit, Doppeldeutigkeit
- MehrdeutigkeitExpression susceptible of a double signification, possibly misleading
- DoppeldeutigkeitExpression susceptible of a double signification, possibly misleading
- AmbiguitätExpression susceptible of a double signification, possibly misleading
- ZweideutigkeitExpression susceptible of a double signification, possibly misleading
- VieldeutigkeitExpression susceptible of a double signification, possibly misleading
- WortspielExpression susceptible of a double signification, possibly misleading
- WortverdrehungExpression susceptible of a double signification, possibly misleading
Hungarian mellébeszélés, köntörfalazás
- mellébeszélésLogical fallacy
- köntörfalazásExpression susceptible of a double signification, possibly misleading
Japanese 二枚舌
- 二枚舌 (nimaijita)Expression susceptible of a double signification, possibly misleading
Polish ekwiwokacja, ekwiwokacja
- ekwiwokacjaLogical fallacy
- ekwiwokacjaExpression susceptible of a double signification, possibly misleading
- dwuznacznośćExpression susceptible of a double signification, possibly misleading
Portuguese equivocidade, equívoco
- equivocidadeLogical fallacy
- equívocoLogical fallacy
Spanish equívoco, evasivas
- equívocoLogical fallacy
- evasivasExpression susceptible of a double signification, possibly misleading
- equívocoExpression susceptible of a double signification, possibly misleading
Swedish ekvivokation, tvetydighet
- ekvivokationLogical fallacy
- tvetydighetExpression susceptible of a double signification, possibly misleading
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with equivocation
Cite this entry
equivocation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/equivocation
“equivocation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/equivocation. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “equivocation,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/equivocation.
Source: equivocation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.