Search results
Synecdoche is a helpful device for writers to express a word or idea in a different way by using an aspect of that word or idea. This allows for variation of expression and produces an effect for the reader.
- The Lie
Go, soul, the body’s guest, Upon a thankless errand; Fear...
- The Voice
Popularity of “The Voice”: Thomas Hardy, a great English...
- Categories
Categories - Synecdoche - Examples and Definition of...
- Piano
Popularity of “Piano”: The poem ‘Piano’ written by David...
- The Scarlet Letter
Introduction The Scarlet Letter. This historical novel of...
- Community
Community - Synecdoche - Examples and Definition of...
- On The Sea Analysis
Popularity of “On the Sea”: Written back in 1817, “On the...
- Trope
Synecdoche. Synecdoche is a type of trope in which a part of...
- The Lie
Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a “part” of something is used to represent its “whole.”. With a synecdoche, one word is used to replace a longer phrase with the same meaning. It can also refer to the reverse, in which a “whole” is used to replace a “part,” although this is far less common. This figure of speech has ...
Generations of writers have used synecdoche in both poetry and prose. Synecdoche is a device used in many idioms, colloquial expressions, and slang terms. One common form of synecdoche uses a body part (hand, heart, head, eyes, etc.) to stand in for an entire person.
Definition of Synecdoche. Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase that refers to a part of something is substituted to stand in for the whole, or vice versa. For example, the phrase “all hands on deck” is a demand for all of the crew to help, yet the word “hands”—just a part of the crew—stands in for the whole crew.
Synecdoche both simplifies collections of parts by using the whole and emphasizes certain aspects of the whole by using its most important parts. It can be used for simplification and brevity or poeticism and elaboration.
Synecdoche is used throughout all literature. Because it is a type of figurative language (symbolism, more specifically), writers use it in poetry, prose, drama, and non-fiction. Synecdoche is often used to mimic spoken language. A well-known example of synecdoche’s use in literature is from William Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of Julius ...
Synecdoche is a literary device in which a part of something represents the whole, or it may use a whole to represent a part. Synecdoche may also use larger groups to refer to smaller groups, or vice versa.
