doublet

noun

dou·​blet ˈdə-blət 

1

: a man's close-fitting jacket worn in Europe especially during the Renaissance

2

: something consisting of two identical or similar parts: such as

a

: a lens consisting of two components

especially : a handheld magnifier consisting of two lenses in a metal cylinder

b

: a spectrum line having two close components

c

: a domino with the same number of spots on each end

3

: a set of two identical or similar things: such as

a

: two thrown dice with the same number of spots on the upper face

b

: one of nine pairs of microtubules found in cilia and flagella

4

: one of a pair

specifically : one of two or more words (such as guard and ward) in the same language derived by different routes of transmission from the same source

Illustration of doublet

• doublet 1

Examples of doublet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The gemstones come in pink doublet, red doublet, and mother of pearl. —Enjanae' Taylor, Southern Living, 23 Jan. 2024

Aristocratic men and wealthy merchants started donning more body-conscious looks: short, tight doublets, brightly colored woolen tights, and elaborate hoods with dangling tails. —Ana María Velasco, National Geographic, 17 Jan. 2024

One of these days the guy with a mustache will begin to rage against those who’ve had the temerity to lash out at him with a sabre and slash him like a Tudor doublet. —Paul Muldoon, The New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2023

But in the early 2000s, birds from Prince George, British Columbia started singing a new song that ended in a doublet: Oh sweet Cana Cana Cana. —Jason P. Dinh, Discover Magazine, 13 July 2022

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French dublet, from duble

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

doublet

noun

dou·​blet ˈdəb-lət 

1

: a close-fitting jacket worn by men of western Europe chiefly in the 16th century

2

: one of two similar or identical things

Medical Definition

doublet

noun

dou·​blet ˈdəb-lət 

1

: something consisting of two identical or similar parts: as

a

: a lens consisting of two components

b

: a spectrum line having two close components

2

: a set of two identical or similar things

especially : one of nine pairs of microtubules found in cilia and flagella