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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

punny en · ADJ · etymology 1

Pronunciation

  • /ˈpʌne/ (Scotland)
  • /ˈpʌni/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ˈpʊni/ (Northern-England)

Etymology

From pun + -y, possibly influenced by funny.

Meanings

  1. Resembling a pun; involving the use of a pun.
    • This is typical [Maurizio] Cattelan, whose work toys with double meanings and punny juxtapositions, flirting with the boundaries between good and bad, to expose bigger truths. 2025 April 14, Eddy Frankel, “‘Gunshots were my obsession’: the nicked golden toilet’s creator on his new pump-action art”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
    • And though [Terry] Border's overly punny captions fall flat for me, the images themselves exude enough delight to make it all a treat. 2011 November 20, Maria Popova, “Artist Terry Border Places Everyday Objects in Romantic Scenarios”, in The Atlantic:
    • Along Main Street, where crowds popped in and out of boutiques, one woman savored samples at the specialty food store. A punny T-shirt urging “SOCIALism DISTANCING” hung prominently in one of the shop windows […]. 2020 December 18, Alexandra Villarreal, “‘Like ants on sugar’: Covid-fatigued Texans shrug off mandates for holiday fun”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
  2. (of a person) Fond of puns.
    • From Battersea Flower Station to Blonde Dye Bleach, everyone wants to be punny. What's your favourite? 2014 May 30, Gary Nunn, “A good pun is its own reword”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
  3. (of a pun) Funny.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
punniest Degree=Sup lexicographic
punnier Degree=Cmp lexicographic

Deriveds

punnily · punniness

Relateds

punster

Synonyms

puntastic · punnish

Translations (1)

es alburero (Translations)

punny en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

  • /ˈpʌne/ (Scotland)
  • /ˈpʌni/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ˈpʊni/ (Northern-England)

Etymology

Clipping of punishment + -y.

Meanings

  1. (qualifier:school slang) A punishment.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
punnies Number=Plur lexicographic

Relateds

puny