calembour

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French calembour.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌkæləmˈbʊə/

Noun

calembour (plural calembours)

1. A pun.

Anagrams

• beclamour

French

Etymology

Uncertain, possibly influenced by bourde (“blunder”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ka.lɑ̃.buʁ/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Homophone: calambour

Noun

calembour m (plural calembours)

1. pun (joke or type of wordplay)

   Synonym: jeu de mots

   • 1972, Charles Aznavour (lyrics and music), “Comme ils disent”, in Idiote, je t'aime…:

     On déballe des vérités / Sur des gens qu’on a dans le nez / On les lapide / Mais on le fait avec humour / Enrobé dans des calembours / Mouillés d’acide

     We reveal truths / About people we have it in for / We throw stones at them / But we do it with humour / Wrapped up in puns / Dripping with acid

Descendants

• → English: calembour
• → Polish: kalambur
• → Romanian: calambur
• → Russian: каламбур (kalambur)
• → Spanish: calambur

Further reading

• “calembour”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.