Synecdoche Definition

sĭ-nĕkdə-kē
synecdoches
noun
A figure of speech in which a part is used for a whole, an individual for a class, a material for a thing, or the reverse of any of these (Ex.: bread for food, the army for a soldier, or copper for a penny)
Webster's New World
(rhetoric) A figure of speech that uses the name of a part of something to represent the whole.
Wiktionary

(rhetoric) The use of this figure of speech; synecdochy.

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Synecdoche

Noun

Singular:
synecdoche
Plural:
synecdoches

Origin of Synecdoche

  • Middle English synodoches from Medieval Latin synodoche alteration of Latin synecdochē from Greek sunekdokhē from sunekdekhesthai to take on a share of sun- syn- ekdekhesthai to understand (ek- out of eghs in Indo-European roots) (dekhesthai to take dek- in Indo-European roots)

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Latin synecdoche, from Ancient Greek συνεκδοχή (sunekdokhe, “receiving together").

    From Wiktionary

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