"figurative" meaning in English

See figurative in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /ˈfɪɡəɹətɪv/ Audio: en-us-figurative.oga [US] Forms: more figurative [comparative], most figurative [superlative]
Etymology: From Middle French figuratif. Etymology templates: {{der|en|frm|figuratif}} Middle French figuratif Head templates: {{en-adj}} figurative (comparative more figurative, superlative most figurative)
  1. Of use as a metaphor, simile, metonym or other figure of speech, as opposed to literal; using figures; as when saying that someone who eats more than they should is a pig or like a pig. Translations (metaphorical; not literal): τροπικός (tropikós) (Ancient Greek), ⁧اِسْتِعَارِيّ⁩ (istiʕāriyy) (Arabic), ⁧مَجَازِيّ⁩ (majāziyy) (Arabic), ⁧رَمْزِيّ⁩ (ramziyy) (Arabic), məcazi (Azerbaijani), преносен (prenosen) (Bulgarian), метафоричен (metaforičen) (Bulgarian), figuratiu (Catalan), 比喻 (bǐyù) (Chinese Mandarin), 象徵 (Chinese Mandarin), 象征 (xiàngzhēng) (Chinese Mandarin), přenesený (Czech), obrazný (Czech), overført (Danish), billedlig (Danish), overdrachtelijk (Dutch), figuurlijk (Dutch), kujundlik (Estonian), kuvaannollinen (Finnish), figuratif (French), figuré (French), figurativo [masculine] (Galician), მეტაფორული (meṭaporuli) (Georgian), ხატოვანი (xaṭovani) (Georgian), გადატანითი (gadaṭaniti) (Georgian), bildlich (German), figürlich (German), metaphorisch (German), symbolisch (German), übertragen (German), uneigentlich (German), verblümt (German), μεταφορικός (metaforikós) (Greek), átvitt (Hungarian), képletes (Hungarian), jelképes (Hungarian), figurativo (Italian), 比喩的な (hiyuteki-na) (alt: ひゆてきな) (Japanese), tropicus (Latin), billedlig (Norwegian Bokmål), biletleg (Norwegian Nynorsk), figurat (Occitan), ⁧استعاری⁩ (este'âri) (Persian), ⁧انگاری⁩ (engâri) (Persian), przenośny (Polish), figurativo (Portuguese), figurativ [masculine, neuter] (Romanian), перено́сный (perenósnyj) (Russian), о́бразный (óbraznyj) (Russian), фигура́льный (figurálʹnyj) (Russian), метафори́ческий (metaforíčeskij) (Russian), samhlachail (Scottish Gaelic), figurativo (Spanish), figurado (Spanish), traslaticio (Spanish), figurativ (Swedish), mecazi (Turkish), о́бразний (óbraznyj) (Ukrainian), перено́сний (perenósnyj) (Ukrainian), nghĩa bóng (Vietnamese)
    Sense id: en-figurative-en-adj-h5byNyPB Disambiguation of 'metaphorical; not literal': 72 9 4 4 10
  2. Metaphorically so called. Translations (metaphorically so called): преносен (prenosen) (Bulgarian), såkaldt (Danish), symbolsk (Danish), გადატანითი მნიშვნელობით (gadaṭaniti mnišvnelobit) (Georgian), im übertragenen Sinne (German), átvitt értelemben (Hungarian), figurat (Occitan)
    Sense id: en-figurative-en-adj-Ns3B1LyY Disambiguation of 'metaphorically so called': 3 94 1 1 2
  3. With many figures of speech. Translations (with many figures of speech): образен (obrazen) (Bulgarian), bilderreich (German), πολύσημος (polýsimos) [masculine] (Greek), figurat (Occitan), ⁧پراستعاره⁩ (porâste'âre) (Persian)
    Sense id: en-figurative-en-adj-Eh8AgAN9 Disambiguation of 'with many figures of speech': 21 1 77 1 1
  4. Emblematic, symbolic; representative, exemplative Translations (emblematic): sinnbildlich (German), symbolisch (German), εικαστικός (eikastikós) [masculine] (Greek), jelképes (Hungarian), szimbolikus (Hungarian), figurat (Occitan), figuratiu (Occitan)
    Sense id: en-figurative-en-adj-q3ufQMVq Disambiguation of 'emblematic': 1 1 1 97 1
  5. (art) Representing forms recognisable in life and clearly derived from real object sources, in contrast to abstract art. Categories (topical): Art Translations (art): figuurlik (Afrikaans), figuratiu (Catalan), figurativ (Danish), figurativ (Norwegian Bokmål), figurativ (Norwegian Nynorsk)
    Sense id: en-figurative-en-adj-B2uAiRaX Topics: art, arts Disambiguation of 'art': 0 0 0 0 100
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: figuratively, figurativeness Related terms: figure, transferred sense

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for figurative meaning in English (13.7kB)

{
  "antonyms": [
    {
      "word": "literal"
    }
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "figuratively"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "figurativeness"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "frm",
        "3": "figuratif"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle French figuratif",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle French figuratif.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more figurative",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most figurative",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "figurative (comparative more figurative, superlative most figurative)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "figure"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "transferred sense"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "May 1, 2005, “The Sea of Love”, in New York Times",
          "text": "The lovers she seems to pursue with her figurative language in fact retreat under the barrage of similes, metaphors and fables.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Of use as a metaphor, simile, metonym or other figure of speech, as opposed to literal; using figures; as when saying that someone who eats more than they should is a pig or like a pig."
      ],
      "id": "en-figurative-en-adj-h5byNyPB",
      "links": [
        [
          "metaphor",
          "metaphor"
        ],
        [
          "simile",
          "simile"
        ],
        [
          "metonym",
          "metonym"
        ],
        [
          "figure of speech",
          "figure of speech"
        ],
        [
          "literal",
          "literal"
        ],
        [
          "figure",
          "figure"
        ],
        [
          "pig",
          "pig"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "ar",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "roman": "istiʕāriyy",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "⁧اِسْتِعَارِيّ⁩"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "ar",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "roman": "majāziyy",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "⁧مَجَازِيّ⁩"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "ar",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "roman": "ramziyy",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "⁧رَمْزِيّ⁩"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "az",
          "lang": "Azerbaijani",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "məcazi"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "prenosen",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "преносен"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "metaforičen",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "метафоричен"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "figuratiu"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "bǐyù",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "比喻"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "象徵"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "xiàngzhēng",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "象征"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "přenesený"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "obrazný"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "overført"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "billedlig"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "overdrachtelijk"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "figuurlijk"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "et",
          "lang": "Estonian",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "kujundlik"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "kuvaannollinen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "figuratif"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "figuré"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "gl",
          "lang": "Galician",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "figurativo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "meṭaporuli",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "მეტაფორული"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "xaṭovani",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "ხატოვანი"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "gadaṭaniti",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "გადატანითი"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "bildlich"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "figürlich"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "metaphorisch"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "symbolisch"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "übertragen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "uneigentlich"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "verblümt"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "metaforikós",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "μεταφορικός"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "grc",
          "lang": "Ancient Greek",
          "roman": "tropikós",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "τροπικός"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "átvitt"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "képletes"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "jelképes"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "figurativo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "alt": "ひゆてきな",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "hiyuteki-na",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "比喩的な"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "tropicus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "billedlig"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "nn",
          "lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "biletleg"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "oc",
          "lang": "Occitan",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "figurat"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "fa",
          "lang": "Persian",
          "roman": "este'âri",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "⁧استعاری⁩"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "fa",
          "lang": "Persian",
          "roman": "engâri",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "⁧انگاری⁩"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "przenośny"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "figurativo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "tags": [
            "masculine",
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "figurativ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "perenósnyj",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "перено́сный"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "óbraznyj",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "о́бразный"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "figurálʹnyj",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "фигура́льный"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "metaforíčeskij",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "метафори́ческий"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "gd",
          "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "samhlachail"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "figurativo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "figurado"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "traslaticio"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "figurativ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "mecazi"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "óbraznyj",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "о́бразний"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "perenósnyj",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "перено́сний"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "72 9 4 4 10",
          "code": "vi",
          "lang": "Vietnamese",
          "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
          "word": "nghĩa bóng"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Metaphorically so called."
      ],
      "id": "en-figurative-en-adj-Ns3B1LyY",
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "3 94 1 1 2",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "prenosen",
          "sense": "metaphorically so called",
          "word": "преносен"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 94 1 1 2",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "metaphorically so called",
          "word": "såkaldt"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 94 1 1 2",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "metaphorically so called",
          "word": "symbolsk"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 94 1 1 2",
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "gadaṭaniti mnišvnelobit",
          "sense": "metaphorically so called",
          "word": "გადატანითი მნიშვნელობით"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 94 1 1 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "metaphorically so called",
          "word": "im übertragenen Sinne"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 94 1 1 2",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "metaphorically so called",
          "word": "átvitt értelemben"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 94 1 1 2",
          "code": "oc",
          "lang": "Occitan",
          "sense": "metaphorically so called",
          "word": "figurat"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "With many figures of speech."
      ],
      "id": "en-figurative-en-adj-Eh8AgAN9",
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "21 1 77 1 1",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "obrazen",
          "sense": "with many figures of speech",
          "word": "образен"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "21 1 77 1 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "with many figures of speech",
          "word": "bilderreich"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "21 1 77 1 1",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "polýsimos",
          "sense": "with many figures of speech",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "πολύσημος"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "21 1 77 1 1",
          "code": "oc",
          "lang": "Occitan",
          "sense": "with many figures of speech",
          "word": "figurat"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "21 1 77 1 1",
          "code": "fa",
          "lang": "Persian",
          "roman": "porâste'âre",
          "sense": "with many figures of speech",
          "word": "⁧پراستعاره⁩"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Emblematic, symbolic; representative, exemplative"
      ],
      "id": "en-figurative-en-adj-q3ufQMVq",
      "links": [
        [
          "Emblematic",
          "emblematic"
        ],
        [
          "symbolic",
          "symbolic"
        ],
        [
          "representative",
          "representative"
        ],
        [
          "exemplative",
          "exemplative"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 1 97 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "emblematic",
          "word": "sinnbildlich"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 1 97 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "emblematic",
          "word": "symbolisch"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 1 97 1",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "eikastikós",
          "sense": "emblematic",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "εικαστικός"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 1 97 1",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "emblematic",
          "word": "jelképes"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 1 97 1",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "emblematic",
          "word": "szimbolikus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 1 97 1",
          "code": "oc",
          "lang": "Occitan",
          "sense": "emblematic",
          "word": "figurat"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 1 97 1",
          "code": "oc",
          "lang": "Occitan",
          "sense": "emblematic",
          "word": "figuratiu"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Art",
          "orig": "en:Art",
          "parents": [
            "Culture",
            "Society",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "1875-1886, John Addington Symonds, Renaissance in Italy\nThey belonged to a nation dedicated to the figurative arts, and they wrote for a public familiar with painted form."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Representing forms recognisable in life and clearly derived from real object sources, in contrast to abstract art."
      ],
      "id": "en-figurative-en-adj-B2uAiRaX",
      "links": [
        [
          "art",
          "art#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "recognisable",
          "recognisable"
        ],
        [
          "abstract art",
          "abstract art#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(art) Representing forms recognisable in life and clearly derived from real object sources, in contrast to abstract art."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "art",
        "arts"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 100",
          "code": "af",
          "lang": "Afrikaans",
          "sense": "art",
          "word": "figuurlik"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 100",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "art",
          "word": "figuratiu"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 100",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "art",
          "word": "figurativ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 100",
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "sense": "art",
          "word": "figurativ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 100",
          "code": "nn",
          "lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
          "sense": "art",
          "word": "figurativ"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈfɪɡəɹətɪv/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-figurative.oga",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/42/En-us-figurative.oga/En-us-figurative.oga.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/En-us-figurative.oga",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "figurative"
}
{
  "antonyms": [
    {
      "word": "literal"
    }
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "figuratively"
    },
    {
      "word": "figurativeness"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "frm",
        "3": "figuratif"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle French figuratif",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle French figuratif.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more figurative",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most figurative",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "figurative (comparative more figurative, superlative most figurative)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "figure"
    },
    {
      "word": "transferred sense"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "May 1, 2005, “The Sea of Love”, in New York Times",
          "text": "The lovers she seems to pursue with her figurative language in fact retreat under the barrage of similes, metaphors and fables.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Of use as a metaphor, simile, metonym or other figure of speech, as opposed to literal; using figures; as when saying that someone who eats more than they should is a pig or like a pig."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "metaphor",
          "metaphor"
        ],
        [
          "simile",
          "simile"
        ],
        [
          "metonym",
          "metonym"
        ],
        [
          "figure of speech",
          "figure of speech"
        ],
        [
          "literal",
          "literal"
        ],
        [
          "figure",
          "figure"
        ],
        [
          "pig",
          "pig"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Metaphorically so called."
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "With many figures of speech."
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Emblematic, symbolic; representative, exemplative"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Emblematic",
          "emblematic"
        ],
        [
          "symbolic",
          "symbolic"
        ],
        [
          "representative",
          "representative"
        ],
        [
          "exemplative",
          "exemplative"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Art"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "1875-1886, John Addington Symonds, Renaissance in Italy\nThey belonged to a nation dedicated to the figurative arts, and they wrote for a public familiar with painted form."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Representing forms recognisable in life and clearly derived from real object sources, in contrast to abstract art."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "art",
          "art#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "recognisable",
          "recognisable"
        ],
        [
          "abstract art",
          "abstract art#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(art) Representing forms recognisable in life and clearly derived from real object sources, in contrast to abstract art."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "art",
        "arts"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈfɪɡəɹətɪv/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-figurative.oga",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/42/En-us-figurative.oga/En-us-figurative.oga.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/En-us-figurative.oga",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "roman": "istiʕāriyy",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "⁧اِسْتِعَارِيّ⁩"
    },
    {
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "roman": "majāziyy",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "⁧مَجَازِيّ⁩"
    },
    {
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "roman": "ramziyy",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "⁧رَمْزِيّ⁩"
    },
    {
      "code": "az",
      "lang": "Azerbaijani",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "məcazi"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "prenosen",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "преносен"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "metaforičen",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "метафоричен"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "figuratiu"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "bǐyù",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "比喻"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "象徵"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "xiàngzhēng",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "象征"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "přenesený"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "obrazný"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "overført"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "billedlig"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "overdrachtelijk"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "figuurlijk"
    },
    {
      "code": "et",
      "lang": "Estonian",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "kujundlik"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "kuvaannollinen"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "figuratif"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "figuré"
    },
    {
      "code": "gl",
      "lang": "Galician",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "figurativo"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "meṭaporuli",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "მეტაფორული"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "xaṭovani",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "ხატოვანი"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "gadaṭaniti",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "გადატანითი"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "bildlich"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "figürlich"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "metaphorisch"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "symbolisch"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "übertragen"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "uneigentlich"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "verblümt"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "metaforikós",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "μεταφορικός"
    },
    {
      "code": "grc",
      "lang": "Ancient Greek",
      "roman": "tropikós",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "τροπικός"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "átvitt"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "képletes"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "jelképes"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "figurativo"
    },
    {
      "alt": "ひゆてきな",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "hiyuteki-na",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "比喩的な"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "tropicus"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "billedlig"
    },
    {
      "code": "nn",
      "lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "biletleg"
    },
    {
      "code": "oc",
      "lang": "Occitan",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "figurat"
    },
    {
      "code": "fa",
      "lang": "Persian",
      "roman": "este'âri",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "⁧استعاری⁩"
    },
    {
      "code": "fa",
      "lang": "Persian",
      "roman": "engâri",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "⁧انگاری⁩"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "przenośny"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "figurativo"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "tags": [
        "masculine",
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "figurativ"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "perenósnyj",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "перено́сный"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "óbraznyj",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "о́бразный"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "figurálʹnyj",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "фигура́льный"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "metaforíčeskij",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "метафори́ческий"
    },
    {
      "code": "gd",
      "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "samhlachail"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "figurativo"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "figurado"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "traslaticio"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "figurativ"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "mecazi"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "óbraznyj",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "о́бразний"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "perenósnyj",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "перено́сний"
    },
    {
      "code": "vi",
      "lang": "Vietnamese",
      "sense": "metaphorical; not literal",
      "word": "nghĩa bóng"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "prenosen",
      "sense": "metaphorically so called",
      "word": "преносен"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "metaphorically so called",
      "word": "såkaldt"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "metaphorically so called",
      "word": "symbolsk"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "gadaṭaniti mnišvnelobit",
      "sense": "metaphorically so called",
      "word": "გადატანითი მნიშვნელობით"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "metaphorically so called",
      "word": "im übertragenen Sinne"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "metaphorically so called",
      "word": "átvitt értelemben"
    },
    {
      "code": "oc",
      "lang": "Occitan",
      "sense": "metaphorically so called",
      "word": "figurat"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "obrazen",
      "sense": "with many figures of speech",
      "word": "образен"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "with many figures of speech",
      "word": "bilderreich"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "polýsimos",
      "sense": "with many figures of speech",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "πολύσημος"
    },
    {
      "code": "oc",
      "lang": "Occitan",
      "sense": "with many figures of speech",
      "word": "figurat"
    },
    {
      "code": "fa",
      "lang": "Persian",
      "roman": "porâste'âre",
      "sense": "with many figures of speech",
      "word": "⁧پراستعاره⁩"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "emblematic",
      "word": "sinnbildlich"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "emblematic",
      "word": "symbolisch"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "eikastikós",
      "sense": "emblematic",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "εικαστικός"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "emblematic",
      "word": "jelképes"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "emblematic",
      "word": "szimbolikus"
    },
    {
      "code": "oc",
      "lang": "Occitan",
      "sense": "emblematic",
      "word": "figurat"
    },
    {
      "code": "oc",
      "lang": "Occitan",
      "sense": "emblematic",
      "word": "figuratiu"
    },
    {
      "code": "af",
      "lang": "Afrikaans",
      "sense": "art",
      "word": "figuurlik"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "art",
      "word": "figuratiu"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "art",
      "word": "figurativ"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "art",
      "word": "figurativ"
    },
    {
      "code": "nn",
      "lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
      "sense": "art",
      "word": "figurativ"
    }
  ],
  "word": "figurative"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-03-12 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-03-01 using wiktextract (68773ab and 5f6ddbb). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.