metaphorical C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas 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... figurativesymbolicallegoricalemblematictropicalrepresentative ↔ Opposites literalfactualactual Word family Derived forms metaphorically Related forms metaphormetaphoric Etymology AI details 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 Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # 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 - Abstract Ideas - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown