Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
paronomasia
Noun
/ˌpɛrəˈnoʊmeɪziə/
Definition
A play on words that exploits the similarity in sound between two words for humorous or rhetorical effect.
Examples
- She delivered a clever paronomasia when she said, ‘Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.’
- His jokes are full of paronomasia, making people laugh with wordplay.
Meaning
Paronomasia refers to the use of words that sound similar but have different meanings, often resulting in a clever or humorous twist.
Synonyms
- Wordplay
- Puns
- Double entendre
