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Office, E.E. Figurative Expression. Encyclopedia. Available online: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/60771 (accessed on 23 October 2026).
Office EE. Figurative Expression. Encyclopedia. Available at: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/60771. Accessed October 23, 2026.
Office, Encyclopedia Editorial. "Figurative Expression" Encyclopedia, https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/60771 (accessed October 23, 2026).
Office, E.E. (2026, October 10). Figurative Expression. In Encyclopedia. https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/60771
Office, Encyclopedia Editorial. "Figurative Expression." Encyclopedia. Web. 10 October, 2026.

Figurative Expression

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A figurative expression is a linguistic expression whose intended meaning is not fully captured by the conventional literal interpretation of its words or construction and must be understood through contextual, conceptual, or pragmatic processes [1]. Figurative expressions encompass multiple forms of nonliteral meaning, including metaphor, metonymy, simile, and idiomatic expression; these forms differ in how they establish relationships between linguistic form, literal meaning, and intended interpretation [1]. The term therefore refers to a broad category of language use rather than to a single rhetorical device, and its interpretation depends on the particular expression and the context in which it occurs [1].

figurative language nonliteral meaning metaphor metonymy
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References

  1. Sam Glucksberg. Understanding Figurative Language; Oxford University Press (OUP): Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom, 2001. [CrossRef]
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View Times: 1
Entry Collection: Language and Linguistics
Revisions: 2 times (View History)
Update Date: 22 Oct 2026
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