Main Entry: syn·ec·do·che

Pronunciation: \sə-ˈnek-də-(ˌ)kē\

Function: noun

Etymology: Latin, from Greek synekdochē, from syn- + ekdochē sense, interpretation, from ekdechesthai to receive, understand, from ex from + dechesthai to receive; akin to Greek dokein to seem good — more at ex-, decent

Date: 15th century

: a figure of speech by which a part is put for the whole (as fifty sail for fifty ships), the whole for a part (as society for high society), the species for the genus (as cutthroat for assassin), the genus for the species (as a creature for a man), or the name of the material for the thing made (as boards for stage)

— syn·ec·doch·ic \ˌsi-ˌnek-ˈdä-kik\ adjective

— syn·ec·doch·i·cal \-ˈdä-ki-kəl\ adjective

— syn·ec·doch·i·cal·ly \-ki-k(ə-)lē\ adverb