metonym

American  

[met-uh-nim] / ˈmɛt ə nɪm /

noun

1. a word or phrase used in metonymy, a figure of speech in which the name of one object or concept is used for that of another to which it is related.

   “The crown” is a metonym for “royalty.”

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metonym British  

/ ˈmɛtənɪm /

noun

1. a word used in a metonymy. For example the bottle is a metonym for alcoholic drink

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Usage

What is a metonym? A metonym is a word or phrase that is used to stand for something that it’s associated with or related to. For example, the White House is a metonym for the current U.S. president or presidential administration.Metonyms are figures of speech (words or phrases used in expressive, often non-literal ways). The use of metonyms is called metonymy.Metonyms can be specific (like using Hollywood to mean the U.S. film industry) or general (like using suit to mean a businessperson). A metonym is one of many rhetorical devices that we use daily in ordinary speech and writing, often without realizing it.

Etymology

Origin of metonym

First recorded in 1830–40; back formation from metonymy

Example Sentences

In her 2022 exhibition “End of Subject” at New York’s 52 Walker gallery, everyday objects like barricades became metonyms for the ways in which individuals organize, divide and view one another in social settings.

From New York Times

“Hollywood” is a metonym for America in “The Sympathizer”; it is the country’s front door, its export and its weapon.

From New York Times

They lived as individuals and they died, tragically and way too soon, in a way that comes to be a metonym for the experience of being "American" for a lot of people.

From Salon

It’s more metonym for the glamorous arrivals than a literal description of what everyone is walking on.

From Seattle Times

Thus, some scientists say that Gaia, the mother of life, is a poor choice of deity to serve as a metonym for Earth.

From Salon