paronomasia

The Roman orators Cicero and Quintilian believed that "paronomasia", the Greek term for punning, was a sign of intellectual suppleness and rhetorical skill.

The investment mania was interrupted by the financial crisis; the paronomasia seems unstoppable.

The only grounds for this theory are the easiness of the Greek style and the paronomasia in iv.

"It is a perversion of the text," said the eager Henry Warden, "grounded on a vain play upon words—a most idle paronomasia."