Double Entendre vs. Pun

By Jaxson

Main Difference

The main difference between Double Entendre and Pun is that the Double Entendre is a wording that is devised to be understood in two ways and Pun is a figure of speech

  • Double Entendre

    A double entendre (plural double entendres) is a figure of speech or a particular way of wording that is devised to have a double meaning, of which one is typically obvious, whereas the other often conveys a message that would be too socially awkward, sexually suggestive, or offensive to state directly.A double entendre may exploit puns or word play to convey the second meaning. Double entendres generally rely on multiple meanings of words, or different interpretations of the same primary meaning. They often exploit ambiguity and may be used to introduce it deliberately in a text. Sometimes a homophone can be used as a pun. When three or more meanings have been constructed, this is known as a “triple entendre”, etc.

  • Pun

    The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play that exploits multiple meanings of a term, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use of homophonic, homographic, metonymic, or figurative language. A pun differs from a malapropism in that a malapropism is an incorrect variation on a correct expression, while a pun involves expressions with multiple correct interpretations. Puns may be regarded as in-jokes or idiomatic constructions, as their usage and meaning are specific to a particular language and its culture.

    Puns have a long history in human writing. Sumerian cuneiform and Egyptian hieroglyphs were originally based on punning systems, and the Roman playwright Plautus was famous for his puns and word games. Punning has been credited as the fundamental concept behind alphabets, writing, and even human civilization.

Wikipedia
  • Pun (verb)

    To beat; strike with force; to ram; to pound, as in a powder, to pulverize.

  • Pun (verb)

    To make or tell a pun; to make a play on words.

    “We punned about the topic until all around us groaned.”

  • Pun (noun)

    A joke or type of wordplay in which similar senses or sounds of two words or phrases, or different senses of the same word, are deliberately confused.

    “The pun is the lowest form of wit.”

  • Pun (noun)

    : a unit of length equivalent to about 0.3{{nbsp}}cm.

Wiktionary

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