Words at Play : 10 Words With Confusing Pronunciations
#9: Synecdoche
Pronunciation:
\sə-ˈnek-də-(ˌ)kē\
Definition:
: a figure of speech by which a part is put for the whole, the whole for a part, the species for the genus, the genus for the species, or the name of the material for the thing made
About the Word:
Synecdoche refers to a sort of poetic shorthand where the part represents the whole, or where the whole may stand for the part. Using the phrase "take her hand in marriage" when the whole person is betrothed, or saying "Germany won the World Cup" rather than specifying "the German soccer team" are both examples of synecdoche.
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