Metaphoric

Metaphoric is an adjective describing language and expressions that employ metaphor, a figure of speech in which a term is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance. Metaphoric language relies on symbolic imagery rather than literal statements, allowing writers to convey complex ideas succinctly by mapping familiar concepts onto unfamiliar ones.

The term is often used interchangeably with metaphorical, though some writers reserve metaphoric for more technical or analytic discussions of metaphor. In everyday prose, metaphorical is more common; metaphoric appears frequently in literary criticism and scholarly writing.

Examples of its use include phrases or descriptions that frame ideas through symbolic imagery. For instance, describing a difficult period as a “metaphoric river of time” or presenting policy as the nation “as a ship braving a storm.” Such usages aim to evoke imagery and meaning beyond a literal interpretation.

In literary studies, metaphoric language is analyzed for imagery, tone, and conceptual mappings (for example, conceptual metaphor theory). In translation, metaphoric expressions may require adaptation to preserve their metaphorical effect across cultures or languages.