pun1

 
Pronunciation: /pʌn/

noun

  • a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words which sound alike but have different meanings: the Railway Society reception was an informal party of people of all stations (excuse the pun) in life

verb (puns, punning, punned)

[no object] (often as adjective punning)
  • make a pun: Freeth adopted the nickname Free in punning allusion to his beliefs the designer is punning on the street name

Derivatives

punningly

adverb

punster

noun

Origin:

mid 17th century: perhaps an abbreviation of obsolete pundigrion, as a fanciful alteration of punctilio