paronomasia
Americannoun
-
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.
noun
Other Word Forms
- paronomastic adjective
- paronomastically adverb
Etymology
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 ónoma name ); -ia
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Roman orators Cicero and Quintilian believed that "paronomasia", the Greek term for punning, was a sign of intellectual suppleness and rhetorical skill.
From BBC
The investment mania was interrupted by the financial crisis; the paronomasia seems unstoppable.
From Economist
The only grounds for this theory are the easiness of the Greek style and the paronomasia in iv.
From Project Gutenberg
"It is a perversion of the text," said the eager Henry Warden, "grounded on a vain play upon words—a most idle paronomasia."
From Project Gutenberg
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
