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synecdoche

The definition of a synecdoche is a figure of speech using a word that is a part to represent a whole, a whole to represent a part or a material to represent an object.

(noun)

An example of a synecdoche is referring to a vehicle as "wheels," one policeman as "the police," cola as "Coke" and credit cards as "plastic."

See synecdoche in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

a figure of speech in which a part is used for a whole, an individual for a class, a material for a thing, or the reverse of any of these (Ex.: bread for food, the army for a soldier, or copper for a penny)

Origin: LME, altered (infl. by L) < synodoche < ML sinodoche, for L synecdoche < Gr synekdochē, lit., a receiving together < synekdechesthai, to receive together < syn-, together + ekdechesthai, to receive < ek-, from + dechesthai, to receive < IE base *de- > decent

Related Forms:

synecdochic adjective or synecdochical

See synecdoche in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole (as hand for sailor), the whole for a part (as the law for police officer), the specific for the general (as cutthroat for assassin), the general for the specific (as thief for pickpocket), or the material for the thing made from it (as steel for sword).

Origin:

Origin: Middle English synodoches

Origin: , from Medieval Latin synodoche

Origin: , alteration of Latin synecdochē

Origin: , from Greek sunekdokhē

Origin: , from sunekdekhesthai, to take on a share of

Origin: : sun-, syn-

Origin: + ekdekhesthai, to understand (ek-, out of; see eghs in Indo-European roots + dekhesthai, to take; see dek- in Indo-European roots)

Related Forms: