double Dutch

noun

Synonyms of double Dutchnext
1
: unintelligible language
2
: the jumping of two jump ropes rotating in opposite directions simultaneously

Examples of double Dutch in a Sentence

The girls were playing double Dutch on the sidewalk. the fast-talking con man spouts some double Dutch, and it is only afterwards that the victim realizes that he's given two twenties for a ten
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As a Black woman who grew up in New York City in the late ’90s and early aughts, double Dutch has always been near and dear to my heart. Sonaiya Kelley, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2024 Being Black is a birthright privilege, and a rite of passage, like learning how to parallel park or double Dutch. Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 3 June 2024 The group mixes in some hula-hooping, African hopscotching and line dancing, but double Dutch is the core. Tara Bahrampour, Washington Post, 26 July 2023 Around noon, just north of the White House, scores of people flocked to Black Lives Matter Plaza to eat, dance and double Dutch. Samantha Latson, Washington Post, 19 June 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of double Dutch was in 1876

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Cite this Entry

“Double Dutch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/double%20Dutch. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

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