metaforical

Metaforical is a rarely used adjective in English, and it is not widely documented in major dictionaries. In most contexts, speakers and writers would use metaphorical language to describe figurative expression. When metaforical is employed, it is typically as a neologism or deliberate variant intended to signal a meta-level or self-referential quality of metaphor. Etymology is unclear; it appears to blend the notions of metaphor and meta, suggesting a form of figurative language that comments on its own status as metaphor rather than merely conveying a comparison.

Usage and interpretation vary by author. In experimental poetry or literary criticism, metaforical may be used to describe a metaphor that explicitly foregrounds its nature as metaphor, or to distinguish an approach that layers multiple metaphors within a self-aware frame. Some writers use metaforical to invite readers to examine the act of metaphorization itself, rather than the object of comparison alone.

Examples include lines that acknowledge the act of metaphor or that collapse the boundary between the metaphor and its subject. Because it is not standardized, readers should rely on context to interpret intended meaning.

Related terms include metaphor, metaphorical, metonymy, and metafiction. While metaforical can enrich discussions of figurative technique in niche texts, its nonstandard status means it should be defined for readers when used.