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
Yan (2)	-	Chinese
Alberico	ahl-be-REE-ko	Italian
Bower	['bauə]
Hidayat	-	Arabic, Indonesian
Ladd	['læd]
Timoti	-	Maori