paronomasia Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a humorous play on words
    pun; punning; wordplay.
    • I do it for the pun of it
    • his constant punning irritated her

WordNet

Par`o*no*ma"si*a noun
Etymology
L., fr. Gr. , fr. to form a word by a slight change; beside + to name, fr. a name.
Definitions
  1. (Rhet.) A play upon words; a figure by which the same word is used in different senses, or words similar in sound are set in opposition to each other, so as to give antithetical force to the sentence; punning. Dryden.

Webster 1913