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Webster 1913 Edition

Synecdoche

Syn-ec′do-che

(sĭn-ĕk′dō̍-kē̍)
,
Noun.
[L.
synecdoche
, Gr.
συνεκδοχή
, fr. to receive jointly;
σύν
with + [GREEK] to receive; [GREEK] out + [GREEK] to receive.]
(Rhet.)
A figure or trope by which a part of a thing is put for the whole (as, fifty sail for fifty ships), or the whole for a part (as, the smiling year for spring), the species for the genus (as, cutthroat for assassin), the genus for the species (as, a creature for a man), the name of the material for the thing made, etc.
Bain.

Webster 1828 Edition

Synecdoche

SYNEC'DOCHE

Definition 2024

synecdoche

synecdoche

English

Alternative forms

Noun

synecdoche ‎(plural synecdoches)

Examples

fifty head of cattle — part (head) for whole (animal).
a fleet of ships, fifty sail deep — part (sail) for whole (ship)
the police knocked down my door — whole (the police) for part (some police officers)
the cat stalks the gazelle — class (cat) for subclass (e.g., cheetah)
hand me a Kleenex — subclass (brand named product) for class (all similar products)
China maintains closer high-level ties with Pyongyang — country (China) for its government (Chinese government) and capital (Pyongyang) for its country (North Korea)

  1. (rhetoric) A figure of speech that uses the name of a part of something to represent the whole.
    • 2002, Christopher Hitchens, "Martin Amis: Lightness at Midnight", The Atlantic, Sep 2002:
      "Holocaust" can become a tired synecdoche for war crimes in general.
  2. (rhetoric) The use of this figure of speech; synecdochy.

Synonyms

Hypernyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

See also

Dutch

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /sinɛkˈdoːxə/

Etymology

From Latin synecdoche, from Ancient Greek συνεκδοχή ‎(sunekdokhḗ, “receiving together”).

Noun

synecdoche f ‎(plural synecdoches, diminutive synecdochetje n)

  1. (literature) synecdoche

See also

Etymology

From Latin synecdoche, from Ancient Greek συνεκδοχή ‎(sunekdokhḗ, “receiving together”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /sɪˈnɛk.də.ki/, /sɪ'nɛk.doʊ.ki/

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