metonymy
[ mi-ton-uh-mee ]
/ mɪˈtɒn ə mi /
noun Rhetoric.
a figure of speech that consists of the use of the name of one object or concept for that of another to which it is related, or of which it is a part, as “scepter” for “sovereignty,” or “the bottle” for “strong drink,” or “count heads (or noses)” for “count people.”
Words nearby metonymy
metol,
metolazone,
metonic cycle,
metonym,
metonymical,
metonymy,
metope,
metopic,
metopic suture,
metopon,
metopoplasty
Example sentences from the Web for metonymy
British Dictionary definitions for metonymy
metonymy
/ (mɪˈtɒnɪmɪ) /
noun plural -mies
the substitution of a word referring to an attribute for the thing that is meant, as for example the use of the crown to refer to a monarch
Compare synecdoche
Derived forms of metonymy
metonymical (ˌmɛtəˈnɪmɪkəl) or metonymic, adjective metonymically, adverbWord Origin for metonymy
C16: from Late Latin from Greek: a changing of name, from
meta- (indicating change) +
onoma name
Medical definitions for metonymy
metonymy
[ mə-tŏn′ə-mē ]
n.
In schizophrenia, a language disturbance in which an inappropriate but related word is used in place of the correct one.