# Is there a word for terms/words that mean different things to different people?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-terms-words-that-mean-different-things-to-different-people/519408>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [November 30, 2009, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-terms-words-that-mean-different-things-to-different-people/519408 "2009-11-30T00:37:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![gitfiddle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/898d66/32.png) [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-terms-words-that-mean-different-things-to-different-people/519408/1 "2009-11-30T00:37:15Z")

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Just curious if there is a word for terms that people use often that mean different things to different people, like “American dream” or “status quo” (in Chinese-Taiwanese relations).