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metonymy vs. synecdoche

metonymy vs. synecdoche: What's the difference?

Metonymy is a figure of speech where the name for one object or concept is substituted for another, related one (as in the White House for the US Government). Synecdoche is a type of metonymy where the name of a whole thing substitutes the name of part of a thing or vice versa, as in head count, where the heads stand for whole people.

metonymy

[ mi-ton-uh-mee ]
noun
  1. a figure of speech that consists of the use of the name of one object or concept for that of another to which it is related, or of which it is a part, as “scepter” for “sovereignty,” or “the bottle” for “strong drink,” or “count heads (or noses)” for “count people.”

synecdoche

[ si-nek-duh-kee ]
noun
  1. a figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole or the whole for a part, the special for the general or the general for the special, as in ten sail for ten ships or a Croesus for a rich man.