a back-handed compliment

(British, American & Australian) also a left-handed compliment (American)

a remark which seems approving but which is also negative He gave me that classic back-handed compliment. He said I played football very well 'for a woman'.

See return the compliment

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Seona	-	Scottish
Jahan	-	Persian
Mariusz	MAHR-yuwsh	Polish
Debora	-	Italian, German, Dutch
Henrik	HEN-rik (Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German)	Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Hungarian, Slovene, Croatian, Armenian
Zac	ZAK	English