- metonymy
- 1560s, from Gk. metonymia, lit. "a change of name," from meta- "change" (see meta-) + onyma, dial. of onoma "name" (see name). Figure in which the name of one thing is used in place of another that is suggested by or associated with it (e.g. the Kremlin for "the Russian government"). Related: Metonymic.