metaphor
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metaphor
- /ˈmɛt.ə.fə/ UK
- /ˈmɛt.ə.fɔː/ UK
- /ˈmɛt.ə.foɹ/ Canada, US
- [ˈmɛɾ.ə.foɹ] Canada, US
- /ˈmɛt.ə.fɚ/ US, rare
- [ˈmɛɾ.ə.fɚ] US, rare
Rhymes with -ɔː(ɹ)
Where it comes from
From Middle French métaphore, from Latin metaphora, from Ancient Greek μεταφορά (metaphorá), from μεταφέρω (metaphérō, “to transfer, apply”), from μετά (metá, “with, across, after”) + φέρω (phérō, “to bear, carry”).
noun metaphors
- The use of a word, phrase, concept, or set of concepts to refer to something other than its literal meaning, invoking an implicit similarity between the thing described and what is denoted by the word, etc., that is used. The next group of computational approaches to metaphor assume that metaphor is basically a hidden analogy.
- A word or phrase used in such implied comparison. A Metaphor, in place of proper words, Resemblance puts; and dress to speech affords.
- The use of an everyday object or concept to represent an underlying facet of the computer and thus aid users in performing tasks. desktop metaphor, wastebasket metaphor
verb metaphors · metaphoring · metaphored
- To use a metaphor.
- To describe by means of a metaphor.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: tralatition, analogy, comparison, transposition, image, picture, transfer, borrowing, figure, trope, symbol, simile, metonymy, representation, parable, emblem
Translations
Every language
noun uncountable: figure of speech
| Español | metáfora |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 비유 biyu, 은유 eunyu, 암유 amyu |
| 日本語 | 比喩 hiyu, メタファー metafā, 隠喩 in'yu, 暗喩 an'yu |
| 中文 | 比喻 bǐyù |
| हिन्दी | रूपक rūpak |
| Português | metáfora |
| Français | métaphore |
| Deutsch | Metapher |
| Italiano | metafora, tropo, figura retorica |
| Ελληνικά | μεταφορά metaforá |
| Română | metaforă |
| Русский | мета́фора metáfora |
| Tiếng Việt | ẩn dụ |
| العربية | اِسْتِعَارَة istiʕāra |
| עברית | מֶטָפוֹרָה metáfora |
noun countable: word or phrase used in metaphor
| Español | metáfora |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 比喩 hiyu, 隠喩 in'yu, 象徴 shōchō |
| 中文 | 比喻 bǐyù, 隱喻 /隐喻 yǐnyù, 比擬 /比拟 bǐnǐ, 象徵 /象征 xiàngzhēng |
| Kiswahili | sitiari |
| Português | metáfora |
| Français | métaphore |
| Deutsch | Metapher |
| Italiano | metafora |
| Ελληνικά | μεταφορά metaforá |
| Română | metaforă |
| Русский | мета́фора metáfora |
| Tiếng Việt | ẩn dụ, phép ẩn dụ |
Talk about this word "metaphor." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/metaphor. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. metaphor. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/metaphor "metaphor." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/metaphor.Cite this
@misc{metaphor_2026,
title = {metaphor},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/metaphor},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
