innuendo
noun/ˌɪnjuˈendəʊ/
/ˌɪnjuˈendəʊ/
[countable, uncountable] (plural innuendoes, innuendos)
(disapproving)- an indirect remark about somebody/something, usually suggesting something bad or rude; the use of remarks like this
- innuendoes about her private life
- The song is full of sexual innuendo.
Word Originmid 16th cent. (as an adverb in the sense ‘that is to say, to wit’, used in legal documents to introduce an explanation): Latin, ‘by nodding at, by pointing to’, ablative gerund of innuere, from in- ‘towards’ + nuere ‘to nod’. The noun dates from the late 17th cent.Want to learn more?
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innuendo