equivocation

English

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equivocation

/ɪˌkwɪvəˈkeɪʃən/
/ɪˌkwɪvəˈkeɪʃn̩/
/əˌkwɪvəˈkeɪʃn/

Rhymes with -eɪʃən

Where it comes from

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).

noun equivocations · æquivocation

countable, uncountable A logical fallacy resulting from the use of multiple meanings of a single expression.
countable, uncountable The 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.

Translations

Every language

noun Logical fallacy

Español	equívoco
中文	偷換概念 /偷换概念 tōuhuàn gàiniàn
Português	equivocidade, equívoco
Français	équivocité, équivoque

noun Expression susceptible of a double signification, possibly misleading

Español	evasivas, equívoco
日本語	二枚舌 nimaijita
中文	模棱兩可 /模棱两可 móléngliǎngkě
Français	équivoque, quiproquo
Deutsch	Mehrdeutigkeit, Doppeldeutigkeit, Ambiguität, Zweideutigkeit, Vieldeutigkeit, Wortspiel

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MLA

"equivocation." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/equivocation. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

equivocation. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/equivocation

Chicago

"equivocation." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/equivocation.

BibTeX

@misc{equivocation_2026,
  title = {equivocation},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/equivocation},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}