punny

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈpʌni/, /ˈpʌnɪ/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈpʌni/
• (Northern England) IPA^(key): /ˈpʊnɪ/
• Rhymes: -ʌni

From pun +‎ -y, possibly influenced by funny.

punny (comparative punnier, superlative punniest)

1. Resembling a pun; involving the use of a pun.

   Synonym: (uncommon) punnish

   • 2011 November 20, Maria Popova, “Artist Terry Border Places Everyday Objects in Romantic Scenarios”, in The Atlantic‎^[1]:

     And though [Terry] Border's overly punny captions fall flat for me, the images themselves exude enough delight to make it all a treat.

   • 2020 December 18, Alexandra Villarreal, “‘Like ants on sugar’: Covid-fatigued Texans shrug off mandates for holiday fun”, in The Guardian‎^[2], →ISSN:

     Along Main Street, where crowds popped in and out of boutiques, one woman savored samples at the specialty food store. A punny T-shirt urging “SOCIALism DISTANCING” hung prominently in one of the shop windows […] .

   • 2025 April 14, Eddy Frankel, “‘Gunshots were my obsession’: the nicked golden toilet’s creator on his new pump-action art”, in The Guardian‎^[3], →ISSN:

     This is typical [Maurizio] Cattelan, whose work toys with double meanings and punny juxtapositions, flirting with the boundaries between good and bad, to expose bigger truths.

2. (of a person) Fond of puns.
   • 2014 May 30, Gary Nunn, “A good pun is its own reword”, in The Guardian‎^[4], →ISSN:

     From Battersea Flower Station to Blonde Dye Bleach, everyone wants to be punny. What's your favourite?

3. (of a pun) Funny. (Can we add an example for this sense?)

   Synonym: puntastic

• punster

Clipping of punishment +‎ -y.

punny (plural punnies)

1. (school slang) A punishment.

• puny – small