metaphor
Translation
metaphor
Examples
'All the world's a stage' is a famous metaphor.
'All the world's a stage' is a famous metaphor.
He used a metaphor to explain the complex idea.
He used a metaphor to explain the complex idea.
Grammar Patterns
((a)) metaphor ((for sth.)) a way of describing something by referring to something else The poem uses sleep as a metaphor for death.
Similar Words
Synonyms: figure of speech, analogy, symbol. (A simile uses 'like' or 'as'.)
Etymology
From Greek 'meta-' (over, across) + 'pherein' (to carry). It means to 'carry over' a meaning from one thing to another.
Memory Tips
Think of 'carrying' a meaning from one concept to another, like saying 'life is a journey'.