Definition of METALEPSIS

metalepsis

Meanings

Plural: metalepses

Noun

  • substituting metonymy of one figurative sense for another
  • A rhetorical device whereby one word is metonymically substituted for another word which is itself a metonym; more broadly, a metaphor consisting of a series of embedded metonyms or rhetorical substitutions.

Origin / Etymology

From Latin metalēpsis, from Ancient Greek μετάληψις (metálēpsis, “succession”), from Ancient Greek μετά (metá, “after”) and λαμβάνω (lambánō, “I take”).

Synonyms

transumption

Scrabble Score: 14

metalepsis is not valid in Scrabble (US) TWL Dictionary
metalepsis is not valid in Scrabble (MW) Merriam-Webster Dictionary
metalepsis is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 0

metalepsis is not valid in Words With Friends