noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   Witty dialog or response. rhetoric, uncountable
2. 2
   In dialog, a retort based on a punning use of another speaker's word or metaphor. rhetoric, uncountable

Etymology

From Latin astĕïsmŏs (“the more refined style of speaking”), from Ancient Greek ἀστείσμός (asteísmós).

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.