# backhanded compliment

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. An insult disguised as a compliment; a compliment which can be interpreted as an insult.

## Etymology
Compound of backhanded + compliment. Similar figurative uses of backhanded are attested from at least the early 19th century.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/backhanded-compliment