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Metonymy

Definition

Metonymy is a figure of speech where a word or phrase is substituted with another word or phrase that is closely associated with it. It's like using a related term to represent the whole idea.

Analogy

Imagine you're at a party and someone says, "The kitchen made some delicious food." Instead of saying "the kitchen," they're using metonymy by referring to the person who cooked the food as representing the whole kitchen.

Related terms

Synecdoche: This term refers to when a part of something is used to represent the whole. For example, saying "all hands on deck" means all people on board are needed.

Personification: This term involves giving human qualities or characteristics to non-human things. For instance, saying "the wind whispered through the trees."

Hyperbole: Hyperbole is an exaggerated statement or claim not meant to be taken literally. An example would be saying "I've told you a million times."

"Metonymy" appears in:

Subjects (1)



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© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.