/ˈmɛtənɪm/  |  MET-uh-nim

Metonymy is the metaphorical referral to something by the name of something closely related to it.  Typically used for poetic symbolism, it’s more often seen in established examples than it is in unique cases.  For my fellow Game of Thrones fans, “The Iron Throne” is an often-used metonym for the rulership of Westeros.

Other examples:

• The slog can drive a writer to the bottle.  [Referring to drinking alcoholic beverages]
• Lo slog, das slog, el slog – in any tongue the slog is still the slog.  [Referring to a language]

Metonymy.  Use it.

Bene scribete.
 

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