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.”

Origin of metonymy

1540–50; < Late Latin metōnymia < Greek metōnymía change of name; see met-, -onym, -y3

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, adverb

Word 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-tŏnə-mē ]

n.

In schizophrenia, a language disturbance in which an inappropriate but related word is used in place of the correct one.