Library / English Dictionary

PUN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected forms: punned    , punning   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A humorous play on words

Example:

his constant punning irritated her

Synonyms:

paronomasia; pun; punning; wordplay

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("pun" is a kind of...):

fun; play; sport (verbal wit or mockery (often at another's expense but not to be taken seriously))

Derivation:

pun (make a play on words)

punster (someone overly fond of making puns)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make a play on words

Example:

Japanese like to pun--their language is well suited to punning

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "pun" is one way to...):

jest; joke (tell a joke; speak humorously)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

pun; punning (a humorous play on words)

Credits