Synecdoche is a noun that refers to a figure of speech by which a part is used for the whole.

Our word of the day is derived from a variety of Greek phrases that roughly translate to ‘take up together.’ Here’s an example of it in use:

I told my co-workers that I needed new wheels and they thought I simply needed the wheels replaced on my car. They didn’t understand that ‘wheels’ was often used to refer to a car when I grew up. If I want to avoid confusion in the future, I’ll make sure to never use a synecdoche again.