noun
- a word or phrase that substitutes for another with which it is closely associated
Usage: rhetoric; linguistics
Examples
- The word ‘crown’ is a metonym for royalty or monarchy.
- In the phrase ‘the pen is mightier than the sword,’ both ‘pen’ and ‘sword’ are metonyms.
- ‘Hollywood’ serves as a metonym for the American film industry.
- ‘Wall Street’ is commonly used as a metonym for the financial sector.
- The teacher explained that ‘the White House’ is a metonym for the U.S. presidency.
- ‘Silicon Valley’ has become a metonym for the tech industry.