SYNECDOCHE

[syn.ec.do.che] n [L, fr. Gk synekdoche, fr. syn- + ekdoche sense, interpretation, fr. ekdechesthai to receive, understand, fr. ex from + dechesthai to receive; akin to Gk dokein to seem good--more at ex-, decent] (15c): 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 adj -- syn.ec.doch.i.cal adj -- syn.ec.doch.i.cal.ly adv