paronomasia

[ par-uh-noh-mey-zhuh, -zhee-uh, -zee-uh ]

See synonyms for paronomasia on Thesaurus.com

nounRhetoric.

the use of a word in different senses or the use of words similar in sound to achieve a specific effect, as humor or a dual meaning; punning.
a pun.

Origin of paronomasia

1570–80; <Latin <Greek paronomasía a play on words, assonance, derivative of paronomázein to make a slight name-change (par-par- + onomázein to name, derivative of ónomaname); see -ia

Other words from paronomasia

par·o·no·mas·tic [par-uh-noh-mas-tik], /ˌpær ə noʊˈmæs tɪk/, adjective
par·o·no·mas·ti·cal·ly, adverb

Words Nearby paronomasia

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use paronomasia in a sentence

These figures may in some cases be a mere pictorial paronomasia, but the explanation above suggested is the more probable one.
The Catacombs of Rome | William Henry Withrow
The only grounds for this theory are the easiness of the Greek style and the paronomasia in iv.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 1 | Various
Who now hath plumbed the depths of a contumelious paronomasia?
Wilderness of Spring | Edgar Pangborn
When the allusions are forgotten, such paronomasia naturally results in hopeless obscurity.
Expositor's Bible: The Book of Jeremiah | William Henry Bennett
Reuss renders the paronomasia, "qu'il soit cach ou lch en Israel."
The Expositor's Bible: The First Book of Kings | F. W. Farrar

British Dictionary definitions for paronomasia

paronomasia

/ (ˌpærənəʊˈmeɪzɪə) /

noun

rhetoric a play on words, esp a pun

Origin of paronomasia

C16: via Latin from Greek: a play on words, from paronomazein to make a change in naming, from para- 1 (beside) + onomazein to name, from onoma a name

Derived forms of paronomasia

paronomastic (ˌpærənəʊˈmæstɪk), adjective
paronomastically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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