metonymy
|me-ton-y-my|
🇺🇸
/mɪˈtɑnəmi/
🇬🇧
/mɪˈtɒnəmi/
name substitution by association
Etymology
'metonymy' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'metonymia' (μετωνυμία), where 'meta-' meant 'change' or 'after' and 'onym-'/'onoma' meant 'name'.
'metonymia' passed into Late Latin as 'metonymia' and then into English via scholarly and rhetorical Latin/Greek usage, becoming modern English 'metonymy'.
Initially it literally meant 'change of name'; over time it evolved into the technical term for the rhetorical device of referring to something by an associated name.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a figure of speech in which something is referred to by the name of something closely associated with it (e.g., 'The White House' for the U.S. administration).
In journalistic style, 'The Crown' is often used as a metonymy for the monarchy.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
the use of a related concept, attribute, or object to stand for a thing itself in language or thought (broader semantic use beyond formal rhetoric).
'Hollywood' can function as a metonymy for the American film industry as a whole.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/29 00:26