Metonymy is defined as which of the following?

Metonymy is defined as which of the following?

• A. Use of a part to represent the whole
• B. Use of an object closely identified with another object or idea to represent the second
• C. A recurring motif in a work
• D. A nine-line stanza in a poem

Answer: (B)

Metonymy is when a thing is named by something closely connected to it, rather than by its own name. The best option captures this idea: using an object that is closely identified with another idea to represent that idea. For example, saying that “the White House issued a statement” uses a place associated with the presidency to stand for the president and his administration, or using “the crown” to stand for the monarch. That focus on close association distinguishes metonymy from other devices. Using a part to represent the whole is a synecdoche, a specific kind of metonymy but more narrowly defined. A recurring motif is a repeating theme in a work, not a figure of speech, and a nine-line stanza is a structural form, not a figure of speech.

Metonymy is when a thing is named by something closely connected to it, rather than by its own name. The best option captures this idea: using an object that is closely identified with another idea to represent that idea. For example, saying that “the White House issued a statement” uses a place associated with the presidency to stand for the president and his administration, or using “the crown” to stand for the monarch. That focus on close association distinguishes metonymy from other devices. Using a part to represent the whole is a synecdoche, a specific kind of metonymy but more narrowly defined. A recurring motif is a repeating theme in a work, not a figure of speech, and a nine-line stanza is a structural form, not a figure of speech.