metaphor

Metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object, action, or concept to which it is not literally applicable, in order to imply a resemblance. It communicates meaning by transferring qualities from one domain to another, creating imagery and new insight. Common examples include "time is a thief" and "the mind is a computer."

The term derives from Greek metaphora, meaning "carrying over." In classical rhetoric, Aristotle treated metaphor as a technique that transfers attributes from a familiar source to an unfamiliar target. Through medieval and modern writing, metaphor has been used to express complex ideas succinctly and to enhance affect and memorability.

Types and varieties: Metaphors can be explicit, as in "Time is a thief," or implicit, where the comparison is suggested rather than stated. An extended metaphor sustains a comparison across a passage or work. Dead metaphors have become so common that they lose their vivid force; mixed metaphors combine incompatible images. Conceptual metaphor theory, associated with Lakoff and Johnson, posits that many abstract concepts are understood via systematic metaphors (for example, "ARGUMENT IS WAR").

Function and usage: Metaphor supports explanation, persuasion, and artistic effect by aligning unfamiliar ideas with familiar experiences. In literature, it enriches character, plot, and theme; in science, it helps model and communicate theories; in politics and media, it shapes public interpretation through framing and analogy.

See also: Simile, Allegory, Symbol, Cognitive linguistics.