noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   A word that names an object from a single characteristic of it or of a closely related object; a word used in metonymy.

   "Calling a government a "city hall" is using a metonym."

2. 2
   a word that denotes one thing but refers to a related thing wordnet
3. 3
   A concept, idea, or word used to represent, typify, or stand in for a broader set of ideas. broadly

   "See also: symbol, model, microcosm, archetype, exemplar, proxy"

Synonyms

All synonyms

antonymarticulationexpressionhomonymlexemelocution

Example

More examples

"The term was in provincial use as a metonym."

Etymology

Back-formation from metonymy.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.