doublet

English

Alternative forms

  • doubtlet (archaic)

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈdʌblət/
  • (file)

Etymology 1

From Middle English doublet, a borrowing from Old French doublet, from double, duble, doble + -et.

Noun

doublet (plural doublets)

  1. A pair of two similar or equal things; couple.
  2. (linguistics) One of two or more different words in a language derived from the same etymological root but having different phonological forms (e.g., toucher and toquer in French or shade and shadow in English).
  3. (literature) In textual criticism, two different narrative accounts of the same actual event.
  4. (lapidary) An imitation gem made of two pieces of glass or crystal with a layer of color between them.
  5. (printing, US) A word or phrase set a second time by mistake.
  6. (quantum mechanics) A quantum state of a system with a spin of ½, such that there are two allowed values of the spin component, −½ and +½.
  7. (computing) A word (or rather, a halfword) consisting of two bytes.
  8. (botany) A very small flowering plant, Dimeresia howellii.
  9. A word ladder puzzle.
  10. An arrangement of two lenses for a microscope, designed to correct spherical aberration and chromatic dispersion, thus rendering the image of an object more clear and distinct.
    • 1855, Hermann Schacht, Frederick Currey, The Microscope:
      The doublet generally used is that invented by Dr. Wollaston, and consists of two plano-convex lenses placed with their convex sides towards the eye []
  11. Either of two dice, each of which, when thrown, has the same number of spots on the face lying uppermost.
    to throw doublets
  12. (uncountable, obsolete) A game somewhat like backgammon.
  13. (radio) Dipole antenna.
  14. (historical) A man’s waistcoat.
    • c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [] (First Folio), London: [] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv], lines 726-27:
      I must comfort the weaker vessel, as
      doublet and hose ought to show itself courageous to petticoat []
    • 1709, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Criticism, London: [] W. Lewis [], published 1711, →OCLC, lines 316-19, 327-30:
      Expression is the dress of thought, and still
      Appears more decent, as more suitable;
      A vile conceit in pompous words express'd,
      Is like a clown in regal purple dress'd:
      []
      These sparks with awkward vanity display
      What the fine gentleman wore yesterday;
      And but so mimic ancient wits at best,
      As apes our grandsires, in their doublets drest.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations

See also

Number 1 2 3 4 5
Modifier single double / twofold triple / threefold quadruple / fourfold quintuple / pentuple / fivefold
Whole loner / singleton / monad pair / couple / twosome / dyad trio / threesome / triad / troika foursome / tetrad fivesome
Part only one / singlet twin / one of two / doublet triplet / one of three quadruplet / one of four quintuplet / pentuplet / one of five
Number 6 7 8 9 10
Modifier sextuple / hextuple / sixfold septuple / heptuple / sevenfold octuple / eightfold ninefold / nonuple tenfold / decuple
Whole sixsome sevensome eightsome ninesome tensome / decad
Part sextuplet / hextuplet / one of six one of seven / septuplet / heptuplet octuplet / one of eight one of nine / nonuplet one of ten / decuplet
Number 11 12 13 100 many
Modifier elevenfold / undecuple / hendecuple twelvefold / duodecuple thirteenfold / tredecuple a hundredfold / centuple multiple
Whole elevensome twelvesome thirteensome hundredsome
Part one of eleven / undecuplet / hendecuplet one of twelve / duodecuplet one of thirteen / tredecuplet one of a hundred / centuplet one of many / multiplet

Etymology 2

A doublet (jacket)

From Italian giubbetta, from giubba, from Arabic جبة (to en-wrap).

Noun

doublet (plural doublets)

  1. A man’s close-fitting jacket, with or without sleeves, worn by European men from the 1400s to the 1600s.
Translations

Further reading

Anagrams

French

Etymology

From double + -et.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /du.blɛ/
  • (file)
  • (file)

Noun

doublet m (plural doublets)

  1. (lexicography) doublet

Further reading

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