51吃瓜 of the Day
paronomasia
noun
the use of a word in different senses or the use of words similar in sound to achieve a specific effect, as humor or a dual meaning; punning.
Why Dictionary.com chose paronomasia
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More about paronomasia
Paronomasia means 鈥渁 play on words鈥� in Ancient Greek and comes from the verb 辫补谤辞苍辞尘谩锄别颈苍, 鈥渢o make a slight name-change.鈥� The 贸苍辞尘补 element means, 鈥渘ame,鈥� and its common variant, 贸苍测尘补, appears in English words such as homonym and synonym. Paronomasia was first recorded in English in the 1570s.
EXAMPLE OF PARONOMASIA USED IN A SENTENCE
The paronomasia in the line 鈥淚 am too much in the sun鈥� (also heard as 鈥渟on鈥�) implies Hamlet鈥檚 continued mourning of his father.
More about cosher
Cosher is of unclear origin. Some linguists connect it to the term cocker, 鈥渢o pamper,鈥� also of uncertain origin. Others, however, link cosher to Irish Gaelic 肠贸颈蝉颈谤, meaning 鈥渇east.鈥� Either way, cosher is not related to kosher, from Hebrew 办腻蝉丑脓谤, 鈥渞ight, fit,鈥� in the context of dietary laws. Cosher was first recorded in English in the early 1860s.
EXAMPLE OF COSHER USED IN A SENTENCE
They coshered and spoiled the cat, and he started acting like the king of the house.
nickelodeon
noun
an early movie theater where a film or a variety show could be seen, usually for the admission price of a nickel.
More about nickelodeon
Nickelodeon is based on nickel and either melodeon, a small reed organ, or Odeon, a small roofed theater of ancient Greece. Nickel comes from German Kupfernickel, referring to the mineral nickeline but literally meaning 鈥渃opper demon,鈥� after nickeline鈥檚 resemblance to copper. Nickelodeon was first recorded in English in the late 1880s.
EXAMPLE OF NICKELODEON USED IN A SENTENCE
The old nickelodeon had been converted into a film museum with bright posters covering the once-drab walls.