Metonymy, << muh TON uh mee, >> is a figure of speech by which a phrase or word is used for a related phrase or word. For example, when we “turn on the light,” we actually flip a switch, closing an electric circuit and causing the light. But we give the name of the effect to the cause. When we “listen to recordings,” we really hear music, but we name the cause to mean the effect. When we ask for “another cup,” we really mean more coffee. The container symbolizes what it contains. These are common forms of metonymy.
In synecdoche, which is related to metonymy, we name the part for the whole. For instance, on board a ship, the order “All hands on deck” calls the crew to assemble on the deck. The word hands is used to refer to the members of the ship’s crew.
