Double Tongue
/ˌdʌb.əl ˈtʌŋ/noun
A deceitful or hypocritical manner of speaking, especially one that presents conflicting meanings or loyalties.
Did you know?The biblical expression “double-tongued” comes from Greek language associated with speaking two ways, helping establish the phrase’s long connection with deception and divided allegiance.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dn̥ǵʰwéh₂
“Tongue, the organ of speech”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dwóh₁
“Two, the root behind “double””
Ancient Greek
Greek
δίλογος (dílogos)
“Double-speaking or saying two different things”
Old English
Old English
tunge
“Tongue; the organ of speech and, figuratively, speech itself”
Middle English
Middle English
double tongued
“Speaking deceitfully or with divided intent”
Modern English
English
double-tongued
“Deceitful, hypocritical, or deliberately ambiguous in speech”
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