figurative
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figurative
- /ˈfɪɡəɹətɪv/
- /ˈfɪɡ.(j)ər.ə.tɪv/
Where it comes from
From Middle French figuratif.
adjective more figurative · most figurative
-
Of use as a metaphor, simile, metonym or other figure of speech, as opposed to literal; using figures.
Into an error of this kind they have fallen, who have claimed for the proverb, and made it one of its necessary conditions, that it should be a figurative expression. A moment’s consideration will be sufficient to disprove this. How many proverbs, such as Haste makes waste;—Honesty is the best polic
Similar: metaphorical, symbolic, tropic, allegorical
- Metaphorically so called.
- With many figures of speech.
- Emblematic, symbolic; representative, exemplative. This, they will say, was figurative, and served, by God's appointment, but for a time, to shadow out the true glory of a more divine sanctity.
- Representing forms recognisable in life and clearly derived from real object sources, in contrast to abstract art. 1875-1886, John Addington Symonds, Renaissance in Italy They belonged to a nation dedicated to the figurative arts, and they wrote for a public familiar with painted form.
Opposite: literal
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: metaphorical, metonymic, synecdochical, metaphoric, metonymical, analogical, representational, figural, synecdochic, poetic, extended, nonliteral, tropical, representative, graphic, graphical
adjective
Opposite: literal
Translations
Every language
adj metaphorical; not literal
| Español | figurativo, figurado, traslaticio |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 比喩的な hiyuteki-na |
| 中文 | 比喻 bǐyù, 象徵 /象征 xiàngzhēng |
| Português | figurativo, figurado |
| Français | figuratif, figuré |
| Deutsch | bildlich, figürlich, metaphorisch, symbolisch, übertragen, uneigentlich |
| Italiano | figurativo, figurato |
| Ελληνικά | μεταφορικός metaforikós |
| Română | figurativ |
| Русский | перено́сный perenósnyj, о́бразный óbraznyj, фигура́льный figurálʹnyj, метафори́ческий metaforíčeskij |
| Tiếng Việt | nghĩa bóng |
| العربية | اِسْتِعَارِيّ istiʕāriyy, مَجَازِيّ majāziyy, رَمْزِيّ ramziyy |
adj metaphorically so called
| Deutsch | im übertragenen Sinne |
|---|
adj with many figures of speech
| Deutsch | bilderreich |
|---|---|
| Ελληνικά | πολύσημος polýsimos |
adj emblematic
| Deutsch | sinnbildlich, symbolisch |
|---|---|
| Ελληνικά | εικαστικός eikastikós |
Talk about this word "figurative." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/figurative. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. figurative. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/figurative "figurative." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/figurative.Cite this
@misc{figurative_2026,
title = {figurative},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/figurative},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
