metalepsis

[ met-uh-lep-sis ]

noun

, Rhetoric.

, plural met·a·lep·ses [met-, uh, -, lep, -seez].

1. the use of metonymy to replace a word already used figuratively.

Other Words From

• meta·leptic meta·lepti·cal adjective
• meta·lepti·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of metalepsis¹

1580–90; < Latin < Greek metálēpsis, equivalent to meta- meta- + lēp-, variant stem of lambánein to take + -sis -sis

Example Sentences

Jewelry brand Metalepsis Projects is co-hosting a pop-up sale this weekend with fashion and accessory labels Cosette, Fuggiamo, Estilo Collective and Starling.

From Los Angeles Times

They say that, according to Jerome, this Tower of the flock was situated in the immediate neighbourhood of Bethlehem; that it is used here only by way of a metalepsis for Bethlehem, and that Bethlehem again designates the Davidic race; so that the passage agrees altogether with v.

From Project Gutenberg

In Greek, moreover, it is called Metalepsis, i.e.

From Project Gutenberg

But the sence is much altered & the hearers conceit strangly entangled by the figure Metalepsis, which I call the farset, as when we had rather fetch a word a great way off then to vse one nerer hand to expresse the matter aswel & plainer.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus is spoken by the figure of farre-set Metalepsis.

From Project Gutenberg