equivocation

C1 Topic:Communication

US /ɪˌkwɪvəˈkeɪʃən/ UK /ɪˌkwɪvəˈkeɪʃən/ See IPA manual

noun

Meanings

1

noun
the use of ambiguous language to conceal the truth or to avoid committing oneself

The politician's speech was full of equivocation, leaving the audience unsure of his true stance.
2

noun
a statement or stance that is intentionally vague to avoid commitment

Her equivocation made it difficult to understand her true intentions.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the use of ambiguous... double talkambiguity prevarication vaguenessobfuscation

2 noun · a statement or stance that... evasiondodginghedgingsidesteppingshuffling

Opposites

directness candor frankness clarity

Etymology

From Latin aequi- ("equal") + vocare ("to call") → Late Latin aequivocare ("to call by the same name") and Medieval Latin aequivocatio ("ambiguity"); Middle English equivocation, the use of ambiguous language to conceal truth.

Topics

Communication Word Formation & Derivatives

# equivocation

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** ɪˌkwɪvəˈkeɪʃən
**IPA (UK):** ɪˌkwɪvəˈkeɪʃən

## Meanings
1. the use of ambiguous language to conceal the truth or to avoid committing oneself
2. a statement or stance that is intentionally vague to avoid commitment

## Examples
- The politician's speech was full of equivocation, leaving the audience unsure of his true stance.
- Her equivocation made it difficult to understand her true intentions.

## Synonyms
- double talk
- ambiguity
- prevarication
- vagueness
- obfuscation
- evasion
- dodging
- hedging
- sidestepping
- shuffling

## Antonyms
- directness
- candor
- frankness
- clarity

## Etymology
From Latin aequi- ("equal") + vocare ("to call") → Late Latin aequivocare ("to call by the same name") and Medieval Latin aequivocatio ("ambiguity"); Middle English equivocation, the use of ambiguous language to conceal truth.

## AI Etymology
Equivocation comes from Latin aequi- ("equal") + vocare ("to call") → Late Latin aequivocare ("to call by the same name") and Medieval Latin aequivocatio ("ambiguity"); Middle English equivocation, the use of ambiguous language to conceal truth. In current use it is a noun meaning "the use of ambiguous language to conceal the truth or to avoid committing oneself". That sense is explained by the older material without requiring a speculative semantic step: the inherited or borrowed base supplies the field of meaning, while the English formation fixes its modern role. The surface form is compositional: its joined elements remain visible in the modern word. The word's history is thus visible in its construction: the components remain interpretable even after the whole expression has settled into a conventional English meaning.

## Topics
- Communication
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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equivocation

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