Standard Lemma guide

metonymical

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adj

Meaning 1

Synonym of metonymic, of or relating to metonymy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: metonymic, of or relating to metonymy

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

using the name of one thing for that of another with which it is closely associated

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • to say `he spent the evening reading Shakespeare' is metonymic because it substitutes the author himself for the author's works

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: metonymic

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English metonym Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ic Proto-Indo-European *h2el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al Middle English -ical English -ical English metonymical From metonym + -ical.