What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Ambiguity vs Pun - What's the difference?

ambiguity | pun |

As nouns the difference between ambiguity and pun

is that ambiguity is something, particulary words and sentences, that is open to more than one interpretation, explanation or meaning, if that meaning etc cannot be determined from its context while pun is 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.

As a verb pun is

to beat; strike with force; ram; pound, as in a mortar; reduce to powder.

ambiguity

English

(wikipedia ambiguity)

Noun

  • (countable) Something, particulary words and sentences, that is open to more than one interpretation, explanation or meaning, if that meaning etc cannot be determined from its context.
    • His speech was made with such great ambiguity that neither supporter nor opponent could be certain of his true position.
  • (uncountable) The state of being ambiguous.

    • Synonyms

    * (state of being ambiguous) ambiguousness, imprecision

    Antonyms

    * unambiguity

    Related terms

    * ambiguous

    pun

    English

    (wikipedia pun)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) . More at (l).

    Verb

  • To beat; strike with force; ram; pound, as in a mortar; reduce to powder.
  • * Shakespeare
    • He would pun thee into shivers with his fist.

    Etymology 2

    From a special use of Etymology 1 .

    Noun

    (en 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.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , title=(Mansfield Park) , last=Austen , first=Jane , authorlink=Jane Austen , year=1814 citation , volume=one, chapter VI , publisher= }}
    "Certainly, my home at my uncle's brought me acquainted with a circle of admirals. Of Rears'' and ''Vices I saw enough. Now do not be suspecting me of a pun , I entreat."
  • *:Comment : Austen was likely referring to spanking/flogging, then common naval punishments, known as (le vice Anglais) .
    • Usage notes
    * Because some puns are based on pronunciation, puns are more obvious when spoken aloud. For example: “This rock is gneiss, but don’t take it for granite.” This reads (with a US accent) similarly to “This rock is nice, but don’t take it for granted.” (Both “gneiss” and “granite” are types of rock.)
    Synonyms
    * See also

    Verb

  • To make or tell a pun; make a play on words.
    • We punned about the topic until all around us groaned.
    See also
    * antanaclasis * paronomasia

    Anagrams

    * ----