Glossary

synecdoche

Subject: 

  • English First Additional Language
  • English Home Language

a figure of speech in which a part of something is used to signify the whole, or alternatively, the whole signifies a part, e.g. in the expression, Give me a hand, only the hand is referred to, although the help of the whole person is needed. In the expression, South Africa beat New Zealand, the whole of the South Africa is referred to, but the meaning is only the sports team.