What is synecdoche ? Synecdoche (pronounced sin-ek-duh-kee) is a figure of speech in which a specific part of something is used to refer to the whole thing. It comes from the Greek word synekdoche, which means “simultaneous meaning.” For example, using synecdoche , the word threads means clothing, heels means high-heeled shoes, and a suit is a businessperson who wears suits to work. Synecdoche also works in the reverse direction by substituting the whole thing for a part. Although these ... What is the difference between synecdoche and metonymy? Synecdoche and metonymy (pronounced meh- tah -nuh-mee) are both rhetorical devices that substitute one word or phrase for another word or phrase, but they are different. Synecdoche uses a word that is a smaller part of the whole thing it’s describing (or vice versa). A synecdoche is a verbal shortcut where a part of something is used to symbolize all of it, or vice versa. Discover 300 synecdoche examples. Synecdoche is a literary device in which a part of something represents the whole or it may use a whole to represent a part.