metonymy
[ mi-ton-uh-mee ]
/ mɪˈtɒn ə mi /
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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.”
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON PARENTHESES AND BRACKETS APLENTY!
Set some time apart to test your bracket symbol knowledge, and see if you can keep your parentheses, squares, curlies, and angles all straight!
Question 1 of 7
Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?
First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.
First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.
First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT Words nearby metonymy
Metol, metolazone, Metonic cycle, metonym, metonymical, metonymy, me-too, me-tooism, metope, metopic, metopic suture
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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 monarchCompare synecdoche
Derived forms of metonymy
metonymical (ˌmɛtəˈnɪmɪkəl) or metonymic, adjectivemetonymically, adverbWord Origin for metonymy
C16: from Late Latin from Greek: a changing of name, from meta- (indicating change) + onoma name
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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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.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.