paronomasia
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par·o·no·ma·sia
(păr′ə-nō-mā′zhə)n.
1. Word play; punning.
2. A pun.
[Latin, from Greek paronomasiā, from paronomazein, to call by a different name : para-, beside; see para-1 + onomazein, to name; see onomastic.]
par′o·no·mas′tic (-măs′tĭk), par′o·no·ma′sial (-mā′zhəl) adj.
par′o·no·mas′ti·cal·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
paronomasia
(ˌpærənəʊˈmeɪzɪə)n
(Rhetoric) rhetoric a play on words, esp a pun. Also (obsolete): paronomasy
[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]
paronomastic, paronomastical adj
ˌparonoˈmastically adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
par•o•no•ma•sia
(ˌpær ə noʊˈmeɪ ʒə, -ʒi ə, -zi ə)n., pl. -sias.
a play on words; pun.
[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]
par•o•no•ma•si•ac (ˌpær ə noʊˈmeɪ ziˌæk) n.
par`o•no•mas′tic (-ˈmæs tɪk) adj.
par`o•no•mas′ti•cal•ly, adv.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
paronomasia
1. Rhetoric. the use of a word in different senses or the use of words similar in sound for effect, as humor or ambiguity; punning.
2. a pun. — paronomastic, adj.
See also: Punning2. a pun. — paronomastic, adj.
the use of a word in different senses or the use of words similar in sound for effect, as humor or ambiguity; punning. Also called adnomination, agnomination, annomination.
See also: Rhetoric and Rhetorical Devices-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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