Syn*ec"do*che (s&ibreve;n*&ebreve;k"d&osl;*k&esl;), n. [L. synecdoche, Gr. synekdochh`, fr. to receive jointly; sy`n with + &?; to receive; &?; out + &?; to receive.] (Rhet.) A figure or trope by which a part of a thing is put for the whole (as, fifty sail for fifty ships), or the whole for a part (as, the smiling year for spring), the species for the genus (as, cutthroat for assassin), the genus for the species (as, a creature for a man), the name of the material for the thing made, etc. Bain.

Syn*ec"do*che (s&ibreve;n*&ebreve;k"d&osl;*k&esl;), n. [L. synecdoche, Gr. synekdochh`, fr. to receive jointly; sy`n with + &?; to receive; &?; out + &?; to receive.] (Rhet.) A figure or trope by which a part of a thing is put for the whole (as, fifty sail for fifty ships), or the whole for a part (as, the smiling year for spring), the species for the genus (as, cutthroat for assassin), the genus for the species (as, a creature for a man), the name of the material for the thing made, etc. Bain.

• A metaphor by which an inclusive term stands for something included, or vice versa; A metaphor in which a part is spoken of as the whole (hand for laborer) or vice-versa (the court for the judge).