Glossary of Linguistic Terms

Conventional Metonymy

Definition: 

A conventional metonymy is a metonymy that is commonly used in everyday language in a culture to give structure to some portion of that culture’s conceptual system.

Examples: 

(English)

  • The understanding of a reference to the face as standing for the whole person
    • ​Example: We need some new faces around here.
  • The understanding of a reference to the physiological response of increased body heat as standing for anger
    • ​Example: Don’t get hot under the collar.
Source: 
35–36, 38, 66, 139