metonymy metonymia
 me-ton'-y-my from meta, "change" and onoma, "name"
Also sp. metonimia
hypallage
denominatio, transmutatio, transnominatio
the misnamer, change of noun or name, transmutation of a word

Reference to something or someone by naming one of its attributes.
 
Examples
  The pen is mightier than the sword
The pen is an attribute of thoughts that are written with a pen; the sword is an attribute of military action

We await word from the crown.

I'm told he's gone so far as to giver her a diamond ring

The IRS is auditing me? Great. All I need is a couple of suits arriving at my door.

Related Figures
 

Related Topics of Invention
 

 
  Sources: Ad Herennium 4.32.43 ("denominatio"); Quintilian 8.6.23-27; Susenbrotus (1540) 8-9 ("metonymia," "transnominatio"; Wilson (1560) 200 ("Transmutation of a Word"); Fraunce (1588) 1.2-5; Putt. (1589) 191 ("metonimia," "the misnamer"); Day 1599 78 ("metonymia," "transnominatio"); Hoskins 1599 10 ("metonymia")


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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Gideon O. Burton, Brigham Young University
Please cite "Silva Rhetoricae" (rhetoric.byu.edu)


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