metonymia

Metonymia, or metonymy, is a figure of speech in which a thing or concept is named not by its own name but by something associated with it. The relation rests on contiguity or association rather than similarity. The term derives from Greek metōnymía, from meta- “change” and onoma “name.”

Metonymy operates in several common patterns. One pattern is place standing for institution or people connected with it (The White House issued a statement). Another is institution or government for its officials (The government announced new policies). A third pattern uses a producer or brand to represent a product (Coca‑Cola announced a new flavor). A fourth pattern uses a container for its contents (Please pass me the salt). A fifth pattern uses an author or creator for their work (Shakespeare’s plays remain influential). Synecdoche, the use of a part to signify the whole or vice versa, is often treated as a closely related form and sometimes as a subtype of metonymy.

In literary and linguistic contexts, metonymy is a pervasive mechanism for creating concise and vivid meaning. It is widely used in everyday speech, journalism, and poetry. In linguistics, metonymy is studied as a cognitive process that shifts meaning based on association or contiguity, and it is distinct from metaphor, though both contribute to figurative language.