paronomasia

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   rhetoric: a pun or play on words, especially one exploiting similar sounds with different meanings

   The phrase heavenly mews is a paronomasia on the sounds of mews and muse.

2. 2
   noun

   the deliberate use or practice of such plays on words

   The critic admired the poem's paronomasia without mistaking it for a serious argument.

Borrowed in the sixteenth century through Latin from Greek paronomasia, 'play on similar-sounding words,' from paronomazein, 'to alter a name slightly.' The Greek verb combines para-, 'beside,' with onoma, 'name.' In stricter rhetoric the term often emphasizes near-sounding words, though it is widely used for punning generally.

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