Answer – An example of metonymy is using the word “crown” to refer to the person who actually wears it – the king or the queen.
Explanation:
Metonymy is a frequently used figure of speech where a noun (object, person or concept) is replaced by another that is closely associated with it. This is done in order to reinforce and/or evoke the precise idea or emotion that the writer wants to convey.
For example, when someone uses the word “crown” instead of the name or title of the person who actually wears it, they are trying to draw the readers’ attention to ideas of duty, responsibility, leadership and so on.
One area where metonymy is used often is journalism. The names of the capital cities of countries are used to refer to their respective governments, for instance
Washington D.C. holds the opinion that…
Here, the writer does not mean that all the inhabitants of the city of Washington D.C. hold a collective opinion. Rather, since the city is the seat of the US government, it is them that are of the opinion. Similarly, the names of buildings are used in lieu of those who usually occupy it.
The White House has issued a statement on the matter.
Obviously, it is not the White House itself, but the President who has issued the said statement.
