"play on words" meaning in English

See play on words in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

Audio: En-au-play on words.ogg Forms: plays on words [plural]
Head templates: {{en-noun|plays on words}} play on words (plural plays on words)
  1. (idiomatic) A pun, or similar humorous use of language such as a double entendre. Tags: idiomatic Synonyms: paronomasia, play of words Related terms: word game, wordplay Translations (pun or similar humorous use of language): joc de paraules [masculine] (Catalan), sanaleikki (Finnish), jeu de mots [masculine] (French), orðaleikur [masculine] (Icelandic), bisticcio di parole [masculine] (Italian), gioco di parole [masculine] (Italian), dicacitas [feminine] (Latin), gra słów [feminine] (Polish), игра́ сло́в (igrá slóv) [feminine] (Russian), igra reči [Roman, feminine] (Serbo-Croatian), igra rečima [Roman, feminine] (Serbo-Croatian), juego de palabras [masculine] (Spanish), ordlek [common-gender] (Swedish)

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "plays on words",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "plays on words"
      },
      "expansion": "play on words (plural plays on words)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Catalan translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with French translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Icelandic translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Italian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Latin translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Polish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Swedish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "1794, Mr. Malone's Edition of Shakſpeare's Works, in The Monthly Review Or Literary Journal Enlarged [2nd Series], Volume 13, R. Griffiths, page 265,\nMr. Steevens alſo, influenced we ſuppoſe by the authority of Dr. Farmer, ſeems by the way in which he regulates the line in his new edition, to think that Shakſpeare here meaned no more than a play on words."
        },
        {
          "text": "1897, Jas. W. Tupper, English Drama: Das Wortspiel bei Shakspere, von Leopold Wurth, A. Marshall Elliott (managing editor), Modern Language Notes, Volume XII, page 171,\nThere are two general classes under which all the examples are grouped: plays on words which are due to a double meaning, and the plays merely on sound (die Laut- oder Klaugspiele). The term for the latter group Dr. Wurth gives as puns, punnings."
        },
        {
          "ref": "1988, Linda S. Myrsiades, The Karagiozis Heroic Performance in Greek Shadow Theater, University Press of New England, page 234:",
          "text": "19. The original play on words here is between furlani (decree) and hurlani (date).",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A pun, or similar humorous use of language such as a double entendre."
      ],
      "id": "en-play_on_words-en-noun-XgCJh7WY",
      "links": [
        [
          "pun",
          "pun"
        ],
        [
          "humorous",
          "humorous"
        ],
        [
          "language",
          "language"
        ],
        [
          "double entendre",
          "double entendre"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) A pun, or similar humorous use of language such as a double entendre."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "word game"
        },
        {
          "word": "wordplay"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "paronomasia"
        },
        {
          "word": "play of words"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "joc de paraules"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
          "word": "sanaleikki"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "jeu de mots"
        },
        {
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "orðaleikur"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "bisticcio di parole"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "gioco di parole"
        },
        {
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "dicacitas"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "gra słów"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "igrá slóv",
          "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "игра́ сло́в"
        },
        {
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
          "tags": [
            "Roman",
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "igra reči"
        },
        {
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
          "tags": [
            "Roman",
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "igra rečima"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "juego de palabras"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
          "tags": [
            "common-gender"
          ],
          "word": "ordlek"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-play on words.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/af/En-au-play_on_words.ogg/En-au-play_on_words.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/En-au-play_on_words.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "word": "play on words"
}
{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "plays on words",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "plays on words"
      },
      "expansion": "play on words (plural plays on words)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "word game"
    },
    {
      "word": "wordplay"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English countable nouns",
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English idioms",
        "English lemmas",
        "English multiword terms",
        "English nouns",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Entries with translation boxes",
        "Pages with 1 entry",
        "Pages with entries",
        "Terms with Catalan translations",
        "Terms with Finnish translations",
        "Terms with French translations",
        "Terms with Icelandic translations",
        "Terms with Italian translations",
        "Terms with Latin translations",
        "Terms with Polish translations",
        "Terms with Russian translations",
        "Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations",
        "Terms with Spanish translations",
        "Terms with Swedish translations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "1794, Mr. Malone's Edition of Shakſpeare's Works, in The Monthly Review Or Literary Journal Enlarged [2nd Series], Volume 13, R. Griffiths, page 265,\nMr. Steevens alſo, influenced we ſuppoſe by the authority of Dr. Farmer, ſeems by the way in which he regulates the line in his new edition, to think that Shakſpeare here meaned no more than a play on words."
        },
        {
          "text": "1897, Jas. W. Tupper, English Drama: Das Wortspiel bei Shakspere, von Leopold Wurth, A. Marshall Elliott (managing editor), Modern Language Notes, Volume XII, page 171,\nThere are two general classes under which all the examples are grouped: plays on words which are due to a double meaning, and the plays merely on sound (die Laut- oder Klaugspiele). The term for the latter group Dr. Wurth gives as puns, punnings."
        },
        {
          "ref": "1988, Linda S. Myrsiades, The Karagiozis Heroic Performance in Greek Shadow Theater, University Press of New England, page 234:",
          "text": "19. The original play on words here is between furlani (decree) and hurlani (date).",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A pun, or similar humorous use of language such as a double entendre."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "pun",
          "pun"
        ],
        [
          "humorous",
          "humorous"
        ],
        [
          "language",
          "language"
        ],
        [
          "double entendre",
          "double entendre"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) A pun, or similar humorous use of language such as a double entendre."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "paronomasia"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-play on words.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/af/En-au-play_on_words.ogg/En-au-play_on_words.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/En-au-play_on_words.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "play of words"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "joc de paraules"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
      "word": "sanaleikki"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "jeu de mots"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "orðaleikur"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "bisticcio di parole"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "gioco di parole"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "dicacitas"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "gra słów"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "igrá slóv",
      "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "игра́ сло́в"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
      "tags": [
        "Roman",
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "igra reči"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
      "tags": [
        "Roman",
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "igra rečima"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "juego de palabras"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "pun or similar humorous use of language",
      "tags": [
        "common-gender"
      ],
      "word": "ordlek"
    }
  ],
  "word": "play on words"
}

Download raw JSONL data for play on words meaning in English (4.5kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-08 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-12-04 using wiktextract (bb46d54 and 0c3c9f6). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.