metonymy

noun

substituting the name of an attribute or feature for the name of the thing itself (as in `they counted heads')

Roots

metamet- · Greek · change/substitution onomaonym- · Greek · name ia-y · Greek · state/quality

Synonyms & related words for metonymy

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Words related to metonymy

Explore words related to metonymy — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include metalepsis, metonymical, metonymic, metonym, transumption, synecdochic, synecdochical, synecdochically. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Where does metonymy come from?

The word metonymy breaks down into 3 roots of Greek origin: met-, from Greek meta (“change/substitution”); onym, from Greek onoma (“name”); and -y, from Greek ia (“state/quality”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.