Metaphor is a figure of speech that describes a subject by asserting it is something else with which it shares common qualities, without using like or as. It transfers meaning from one domain to another to illuminate ideas, images, or emotions. As a noun, it can function across contexts in literature, rhetoric, and everyday language to convey concepts indirectly.
US: rhotic /r/ in final position; pronounce /ˈmɛtəˌfɔɹ/ with a rounded, slightly tense /ɔɹ/. UK/AU: non-rhotic or weak rhotic; pronounce /ˈmetəˌfɔː/ with a longer final vowel; keep /ɔː/ steady and avoid extra r-coloring in coda. Vowel differences: US /ɛ/ vs UK/AU /e/ in some speakers; ensure the /ɜː/ or /ə/ alignment is accurate in connected speech. Consonants: final /f/ should be crisp; avoid muting the /f/ with a preceding /t/ blend. IPA references: US /ˈmɛtəˌfɔɹ/, UK/AU /ˈmetəˌfɔː/.
"Her resilience is a metaphor for the city’s stubborn endurance."
"In the poem, the night is a velvet blanket, a metaphor that warm imagery conveys mood."
"The classroom turned into a war zone, a metaphor for the students’ chaotic energy."
"She used a metaphor to compare his ideas to bright fireworks—suddenly illuminating the room."
Metaphor comes from the Greek metaphorā, formed from meta-, meaning 'over, across' and pherein, meaning 'to carry'. The term entered English via Latin and French philosophical and rhetorical traditions in the medieval and early modern periods, reflecting a shift from a literal to a figurative sense in language. Its foundational idea is carrying meaning across from one domain to another, effectively “carrying over” attributes of one thing onto another. The concept was central to classical rhetoric, where metaphors were cultivated as a discipline alongside similes and personifications. Early English writers borrowed heavily from Latin translations of Greek rhetoric, especially Aristotle, who framed metaphor as a powerful cognitive tool for highlighting similarities and differences. By the 16th and 17th centuries, metaphor became a common design in poetry and prose, expanding beyond strict rhetorical devices to become foundational in everyday speech. Over time, metaphor broadened to include conceptual mappings in science, cognitive linguistics, and cultural studies, illustrating how humans understand abstract ideas through embodied or familiar domains. First known uses in English literature surface in glossaries and rhetorical texts as an established category of figurative speech, with references in glossaries by writers in the Renaissance and in later modern critiques. The word’s staying power reflects its utility for conveying nuance, tone, and imaginative engagement across disciplines and genres.
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Words that rhyme with "metaphor"
-her sounds
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US: /ˈmɛtəˌfɔr/. UK/AU: /ˈmetəˌfɔː/. The word has two primary stress sites: primary on the first syllable ME-, with a secondary tendency on the -for syllable depending on pace. The t- is a clear alveolar stop, and the 'a' in the second syllable is a schwa in many contexts. When used quickly in connected speech, you may hear /ˈmɛfəˌfɔː/ in some accents; keep the two-to-three-beat rhythm and avoid inserting extra vowels between syllables.
Two common errors: (1) Turning the second syllable into a separate syllable with an overt 't' sound, producing me-te-ta-for; keep the second syllable as a light schwa followed by /fɔr/. (2) Reducing the final /r/ in non-rhotic accents; in US, keep a subtle /ɹ/ rhotic cue without overemphasizing it. Practice with the sequence ME- ta -for, gently linking to maintain the two primary beats. Focus on the flap/tap vs. true r in quick speech and avoid shaping the word as ‘met-a-for’ or ‘meh-ta-for.’
US typically /ˈmɛtəˌfɔr/ with rhotic /r/ in the final syllable and a slightly flatter first vowel. UK/AU tend toward /ˈmetəˌfɔː/ or /ˈmetəˌfɔː/ with non-rhotic tendencies in careful speech and a longer final vowel. In rapid UK speech, you may hear /ˈmetəˌfɔː/ with a short first vowel; Australians often reduce the first syllable more and lengthen the final vowel, giving /ˈmetəˌfɔː/. Practice both fully enunciating the final /ɔː/ and connecting the syllables for natural rhythm.
The difficulty lies in producing the mid unstressed syllables clearly while preserving stress on the first syllable and the rounded, tense quality of the final /ɔr/ or /ɔː/. The transition from /tə/ to /fɔr/ requires subtle tongue relaxation and lip rounding without creating a vowel intrusion. Learners often insert an extra vowel between met- and a- or mispronounce the final /r/ in non-rhotic accents. Focus on reducing the second syllable to a quick schwa and keeping the final sound distinct.
The key is the two-syllable rhythm with a light second syllable and the final stressed-on syllable pattern that gives it its characteristic flow: ME-ta-for or MET-a-for, depending on dialect and speed. The collective feature is the preserved /fɔːr/ or /fɔː/ ending, which should not be softened into /foʊ/ or omitted. Maintain a clear /f/ onset for the third syllable and avoid a strong alveolar t or d insertion during fast speech.
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