figurative.

1. Using expression whose intended meaning is not simply its literal wording.

2. Representing recognizable forms derived from life rather than being wholly nonrepresentational.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• figurative language
• figurative meaning

On the page

The figurative language made the contrast vivid without asserting a physical change.

The phrase had a figurative meaning established by its context.

Usage notes

Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: Normally relational or categorical; comparison only where the particular property admits gradation. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: artistic orientation, figurative interpretation, life writing, narrative knowledge. Disciplines: literary writing, literary analysis, advanced general English. Commonness: moderately common.