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Figurative Speech
Surah: Al-Baqarah (19)
Metonymy — The Whole for the Part or Vice Versa
يَجۡعَلُونَ أَصَٰبِعَهُمۡ فِيٓ ءَاذَانِهِم مِّنَ ٱلصَّوَٰعِقِ
— البقرة الآية 19
Definition: Using a word in other than its literal meaning based on a non-similarity relation — part-whole, cause-effect, etc.
Types with Quranic examples:
Types with Quranic examples:
- Part for whole: "They put their fingers in their ears" (2:19) — fingers means fingertips
- Whole for part: "They twist their tongues with the Book" (3:78) — "the Book" means part of it
- Cause for effect: "We send down water from the sky and bring forth vegetation" — water is cause, vegetation is effect
Source: Al-Zarkashi (2/256); Al-Suyuti (3/107); Al-Jurjani
Test Yourself
What is the main difference between metonymy and metaphor?
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