metaphorically

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌmɛtəˈfɔrɪkli/ UK /ˌmɛtəˈfɒrɪkli/ See IPA manual

adv

Meanings

1

adv
in a figurative sense, not literally

Metaphorically speaking, the company was sinking fast.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · in a figurative sense, not... figuratively symbolicallyallegoricallyemblematically

Opposites

literallyfactually

Word family

Related forms metaphor metaphoricalmetaphoric

Etymology

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

metaphorā Ancient Greek pherein Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

# metaphorically

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adv
**IPA (US):** ˌmɛtəˈfɔrɪkli
**IPA (UK):** ˌmɛtəˈfɒrɪkli

## Meanings
1. in a figurative sense, not literally

## Examples
- Metaphorically speaking, the company was sinking fast.

## Synonyms
- figuratively
- symbolically
- allegorically
- emblematically

## Antonyms
- literally
- factually

## Related Forms
- metaphor
- metaphorical
- metaphoric

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

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

## AI Etymology
Metaphorically comes from metaphorical + -ly, from metaphor (Greek metaphorā 'a transfer', from metapherein 'to carry over', from meta- 'over' + pherein 'to carry'). The etymological trail includes Ancient Greek metaphorā, Ancient Greek pherein. The same word family includes metaphor, metaphorical, metaphoric. Its current adverb use means "in a figurative sense, not literally".

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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