What is the term for a play on words?

A pun is a form of wordplay that involves exploiting multiple meanings of a term or similar-sounding words for humorous or rhetorical effect. This literary device often creates a comedic twist based on the ambiguity of language, allowing a writer or speaker to convey a double meaning or play on words. For example, if someone says, "Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana," they are utilizing a pun to create a humorous connection between time, arrows, and fruit.

The other options represent different literary terms. Alliteration refers to the repetition of the initial consonant sounds in closely placed words, simile compares two different things using "like" or "as," and irony involves a contrast between expectation and reality, creating a situation or expression that has an unexpected outcome. Understanding these distinctions helps recognize how puns uniquely contribute to the richness of language and literature.