metaphorical

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌmɛtəˈfɔrɪkəl/ UK /ˌmɛtəˈfɒrɪk(ə)l/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
using figurative comparison rather than literal meaning

His talk of storms was metaphorical, not a weather report.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · using figurative comparison... figurative symbolic allegorical emblematic tropical representative

Opposites

literal factual actual

Word family

Derived forms metaphorically

Related forms metaphormetaphoric

Simplified etymology

Metaphorical is derived from metaphor, which entered English in the later Middle Ages and ultimately comes from Greek metapherein, meaning “to transfer.”

Etymology

From metaphor (from Greek metaphorā 'a transfer', from metapherein 'to carry over', from meta- 'over, across' + pherein 'to carry') + -ical.

metaphorā Ancient Greek meta- Ancient Greek pherein Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# metaphorical

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌmɛtəˈfɔrɪkəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌmɛtəˈfɒrɪk(ə)l/

## Meanings
1. using figurative comparison rather than literal meaning

## Examples
- His talk of storms was metaphorical, not a weather report.

## Synonyms
- figurative
- symbolic
- allegorical
- emblematic
- tropical
- representative

## Antonyms
- literal
- factual
- actual

## Derived Forms
- metaphorically

## Related Forms
- metaphor
- metaphoric

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: metaphorā
- Root: meta-
- Root: pherein

## Etymology
From metaphor (from Greek metaphorā 'a transfer', from metapherein 'to carry over', from meta- 'over, across' + pherein 'to carry') + -ical.

## AI Etymology
Metaphorical comes from metaphor (from Greek metaphorā 'a transfer', from metapherein 'to carry over', from meta- 'over, across' + pherein 'to carry') + -ical. The etymological trail includes Ancient Greek metaphorā, Ancient Greek meta-, Ancient Greek pherein. The same word family includes metaphorically, metaphor, metaphoric. Its current adjective use means "using figurative comparison rather than literal meaning".

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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