pun
UK: pʌn | US: pʌn
n. a humorous play on words, exploiting different meanings or sounds of a word or phrase
v. to make a pun; to use words humorously with double meanings
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The word "pun" likely originated in the late 17th century, possibly as a clipped form of "pundigrion," an obsolete term for a pun or wordplay. Its exact roots are unclear, but it may trace back to Italian "puntiglio" (a fine point or quibble) or Latin "punctum" (a point or prick). The concept reflects the "pointed" or sharp wit involved in wordplay. Unlike compound words, "pun" resists morpheme division, making it a compact, standalone term in English.
She groaned at her dad's terrible pun about the broken pencil being pointless.
The comedian's clever puns had the audience laughing all night.
"I'm reading a book about anti-gravity—it's impossible to put down!" he said with a grin, proud of his pun.
Shakespeare often used puns to add humor or double meanings to his plays.
The headline's pun on "lettuce" and "let us" made the article more engaging.