Metonymy
Literary term · say it meh-TON-uh-mee
Metonymy is a figure of speech that uses the name of something closely connected with what is actually meant. For example, the crown can mean royal power, while a town’s name can stand for the people who live there.
Two ways metonymy appears
An object stands for power
An object linked with a role or institution can stand for its authority. A crown, for instance, can mean the power to rule.
In Hamlet, the ghost describes how his brother took his life, his crown, and his queen. The crown stands for the kingship he lost, not simply a royal object.
In Hamlet by William Shakespeare
A place stands for its people
A place name can stand for the people who live there, rather than the physical location itself.
In Hamlet, the ghost tells Hamlet that Denmark has been deceived by the story that a snake killed him. Denmark stands for the people who have been given this false account of the king’s death.
In Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
How to spot metonymy
- Look for a name that means more than its literal object or place.
- Ask what closely connected person, group, or idea it stands for.
- Check that the link rests on association rather than resemblance.
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What is the difference between metonymy and metaphor?
Metonymy works through a close connection, while metaphor works through resemblance. Calling royal authority the crown uses something associated with ruling. Calling a ruler a lion suggests that the ruler shares qualities with a lion, such as courage or strength.
What is the difference between metonymy and synecdoche?
Synecdoche uses a part to stand for a whole, or a whole for a part; metonymy uses a broader association. Calling sailors hands is synecdoche because hands are parts of their bodies. Calling royal authority the crown is metonymy. Some guides treat synecdoche as a kind of metonymy.
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