Synecdoche is a literary device in which a part of something represents. A synecdoche may also refer to an object by the material it is made from or refer to the contents in a container by the. Its an odd word for what is simply using part of a whole to represent the whole. A synecdoche is a word that refers to a part of something to mean the whole. So a person could be a sympathetic ear, or the person who was actually speaking when the news reports that the government said today. Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which you use a part of something to stand for the whole thing. It uses a part for the whole thing, or the whole for one of its parts. A figure of speech in which the name of a part is used to stand 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. Synecdoche uses a part of something is to refer to the whole entity, or in reverse, a whole entity is used to refer to a part. Definition and synonyms of synecdoche from the online english dictionary from macmillan education this is the british english definition of synecdoche. Synecdoche definition of synecdoche by the free dictionary. If you said check out my new wheels, wheels is an example of synecdoche.
Such a part must be in some sense outstanding, easily recognizable, and play a unique role in the whole. Synecdoche definition is a figure of speech by which a part is put for the whole such as fifty sail for fifty ships, the whole for a part such as society for high society, the species for the genus such as cutthroat for assassin, the genus for the species such as a creature for a man, or the name of the material for the thing made such as boards for stage. Synecdoche is the use of a deliberate confusion of scale, in which a poet refers to one thing in terms of a part of it or in terms of what it is a part of. Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase that refers to a part of something is substituted to stand in for the whole, or vice versa. When a whole is used as the part or a part of a thing is put for the whole examples. A concise definition of synecdoche along with usage tips, an expanded explanation, and lots of examples. Indeed, synecdoche is considered by some a type of metonymy 118 synecdoche and thus metonymy is distinct from metaphor although in the past it was considered by some a subspecies of metaphor, intending. Drawing attention to the part instead of a whole allows us to be more specific with our point as well. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. It comes from the compound greek word sunekdoche sunekdoxhv which is composed of the preposition sun suvn, together with, and ekdoche ekdoxhv, a receiving from. We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website, including to provide targeted advertising and track usage.
It may use a group of things that refer to a larger group or use a large group to refer to a smaller group. A synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a part is used to signify the whole. The figure of speech synecdoche truth or tradition. Last but not least, we have the definition of the synecdoche. Definition of synecdoche noun in oxford advanced learners dictionary. The cognitive nature of metonymy and its implications for. The person is neither just an ear nor the whole government, but using synecdoche to suggest that.
Synecdoches definition of synecdoches by the free dictionary. Information and translations of synecdoche in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Meyerson labor cannot emancipate itself in the white skin where in the black it is branded. If your parents buy you a car and you say that you just got a new set of wheels, youre using synecdoche youre using the wheels, which are part of a car, to refer to the whole car. Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole and. It may use an entire whole thing to represent a part of it. Definition noun a stylistic device through which a portion of a thing symbolises the thing itself. For him, metonymy is one of the four categories of metaphor the second category, though he never used the word metonymy explicitly. Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which, most often, a part of something is used to refer to its whole. A synecdoche works even more interestingly and strange. She is an inductee in the podcasting hall of fame, and the show is a fivetime winner of best education podcast in the podcast awards. Synecdoche simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Synecdoche may also use larger groups to refer to smaller groups, or vice versa. Synecdoche is a rhetorical trope and a type of figurative speech similar to metonymya figure of speech that uses a term that denotes one thing to refer to a related thing.
Synecdoche pronounced sinekdikey is a trope or figure of speech in which a part of something is used to represent the whole for example, abcs for alphabet or less commonly the whole is used to represent a part england won the world cup in 1966. Pdf lesson plans, teacher articles and a directory of teaching and reference resources. Because the word seeds is replaced with the word tomatoes, a component of the plant could be a form of. Definition, usage and a list of synecdoche examples in common speech and literature. The part that is chosen to be a metonym of its whole is not arbitrary. God is the author of language, and no one has ever used language as precisely as god does in the bible, including his use of figures of speech. Boots meaning soldiers america for the united states number 10 for the office of the prime minister. The sound of a radio and pots and pans clanging fades in. Caden and adeles bedroom fall 2005 morning a1 darkness. These three examples, and most other cases, use the part for the whole. View american english definition of synecdoche change your default dictionary to american english. Since then his study of metonymy has been confined within the study of metaphor for centuries. Metonymy definition a figure of speech in which a word is similar to another substitutes itself for the original. The list of metonymies and synecdoches that appears in this book is intended both to impress.
Lets talk about synecdoche and metonymy, two very particular types of metaphorical expression in which one word is representative for another word or concept. Synecdoche is a literary device in which a part of something represents the whole, or it may use a whole to represent a part. The literary term of synecdoche is covered in this multiple choice quiz. A synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a term for a part of something refers to the whole of something or vice versa. Synecdoche definition of synecdoche by merriamwebster. The figure of speech synecdoche as used in the bible the ability to communicate by words is one thing that sets apart mankind from all other creatures. For example, the captain commands one hundred sails is a synecdoche that uses sails to refer to shipsships being the thing of which a sail is a part. There were going to be 20 heads at the dinner table. Antinomy and synecdoche in the work of tanehisi coates stephen c. Synecdoche is a special type of metonymy in which the object or concept used to describe the larger is also a part of that larger concept, such as when ears are a part of the larger concept the audiences attention.
Forms of synecdoche a synecdoche may use part of something to represent the entire whole. Synecdoche is a figure of speech which expresses either more, or less, than it literally denotes. The whole world did not treat him badly only a part. Synecdoche is a type of symbolism where one thing is used to represent something else. Synecdoche examples and definition literary devices. Synecdoche script transcript from the screenplay andor. Synecdoche article about synecdoche by the free dictionary.
Definition of synecdoche from our glossary of english linguistic and grammatical terms containing explanations and crossreferences to other relevant english grammar terms. It may also call a thing by the name of the material it is made of, or it may refer to a thing in a container or. Like how the hands is always used to do a job, and while the entire person is vital to the completion of a task, using the hands emphasizes the. In summary, synecdoche is a type of figurative language. In synecdoche, the whole stands for the part, while in metonymy, the part stands for the whole. Mignon fogarty is the founder of quick and dirty tips and the author of seven books on language, including the new york times bestseller grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing. Synecdoche definition, a figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole or the whole for a part, the special for the general or the general for the special, as in ten sail for ten ships or a. Synecdoche, figure of speech in which a part represents the whole, as in the expression hired hands for workmen or, less commonly, the whole represents a part, as in the use of the word society to mean high society. To say that farmer keeps 300 head of cattle is speaking by synecdoche. Synecdoche definition and meaning collins english dictionary. Pdf understanding what is a metaphor, a metonymy and a. Closely related to metonymythe replacement of a word by one closely related to the originalsynecdoche is an important poetic device for creating vivid imagery. The whole is used as the part twenty sails came into the harbor. Caden, 40, opens his eyes in bed, and groggily looks at himself in the bureau mirror.
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