synecdoche Definition
- 1a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa
- 2a type of metonymy, where a part is used to signify the whole
Using synecdoche: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "synecdoche" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The phrase 'all hands on deck' uses synecdoche to refer to the whole crew.
Example
The word 'bread' can be used as a synecdoche for food in general.
Example
The term 'gray beard' is a synecdoche for an old man.
synecdoche Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with synecdoche
Example
The phrase 'all hands on deck' is an example of pars pro toto synecdoche.
Example
The phrase 'England won the World Cup' uses totum pro parte synecdoche, as the whole country did not actually play in the tournament.
synecdoche of genus
a type of synecdoche where a general category is used to refer to a specific member of that category
Example
The phrase 'I need a hand' uses synecdoche of genus, as 'hand' is a specific member of the general category 'help'.
Origins of synecdoche
from Greek 'synekdoche', meaning 'simultaneous understanding'
Summary: synecdoche in Brief
The term 'synecdoche' [sɪˈnɛkdəki] refers to a figure of speech where a part is used to represent the whole or vice versa. It is a type of metonymy and can be seen in phrases like 'all hands on deck,' where 'hands' represents the whole crew. Synecdoche can also be categorized into types like 'pars pro toto' and 'totum pro parte.'
