figurative

[ fig-yer-uh-tiv ]

/ ˈfɪg yər ə tɪv /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR figurative ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of the nature of or involving a figure of speech, especially a metaphor; metaphorical and not literal: The word "head" has several figurative senses, as in "She's the head of the company."

metaphorically so called: His remark was a figurative boomerang.

abounding in or fond of figures of speech: Elizabethan poetry is highly figurative.

representing by means of a figure or likeness, as in drawing or sculpture.

representing by a figure or emblem; emblematic.

Origin of figurative

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English figuratif, fygurative, from Old French figuratif, from Late Latin figūrātīvus; see origin at figure, -ative

SYNONYMS FOR figurative

1 metaphorical, not literal, symbolic.

3 ornate, ornamental, flowery, elaborate, florid, grandiloquent.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR figurative ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM figurative

fig·ur·a·tive·ly, adverbfig·ur·a·tive·ness, nounnon·fig·ur·a·tive, adjectivenon·fig·ur·a·tive·ness, noun

sem·i·fig·ur·a·tive, adjectivesem·i·fig·ur·a·tive·ness, nounun·fig·ur·a·tive, adjectiveun·fig·ur·a·tive·ness, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH figurative

figuratively , literally, virtually

Words nearby figurative

figurant, figurante, figurate, figurate number, figuration, figurative, figurative language, figuratively, figure, figure and ground, figured

Dictionary.com UnabridgedBased on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for figurative

Bauer literally had a Rosebud moment, but may not have had a figurative one.
We All Have a Rosebud in Our Pasts|Sam Roberts|October 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
No, says the confused C.K, who expected the figurative nature of his statement to be obvious.
The Movement for Patient Access to Doctors’ Notes Is Growing|Janelle Dumalaon|June 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Cheshire is less interested in the literal, chromosomal answer than the figurative one.
This Week’s Hot Reads: Dec. 2, 2013|Mythili Rao and Thomas Flynn, Mythili Rao, Thomas Flynn|December 2, 2013|DAILY BEAST
In that moment, Will has fully embraced the figurative dark side.
In The Good Wife’s Explosive ‘Hitting the Fan,’ That’s Exactly What Happens|Chancellor Agard|October 28, 2013|DAILY BEAST

In a figurative way, palimpsest refers to an object or place that reflects its own history.
The Thief of Words: Starling Lawrence|Jill Bialosky|October 11, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Mark Twain wanted to point out the absurdity of taking the allegories and the figurative language of the Bible literally.
Mark Twain|Archibald Henderson
He adds that an intelligent Indian once suggested that this was a figurative representation of the revolution of the seasons.
Contribution to Passamaquoddy Folk-Lore|J. Walter Fewkes
But he has some defects; in his Essay on the Human Understanding he is often too figurative for the subject.
Introduction to the Literature of Europe in the Fifteenth, Sixteenth, and Seventeenth Centuries, Vol. 2|Henry Hallam
By way of further expression of the same idea, Aristotle passes into figurative language.
A Critical History of Greek Philosophy|W. T. Stace
If Ryanne laughed in his sleeve, Mahomed certainly found ample room in his for such silent and figurative cachinnations.
The Carpet from Bagdad|Harold MacGrath

British Dictionary definitions for figurative

figurative

/ (ˈfɪɡərətɪv) /

adjective

of the nature of, resembling, or involving a figure of speech; not literal; metaphorical

using or filled with figures of speech

representing by means of an emblem, likeness, figure, etc

(in painting, sculpture, etc) of, relating to, or characterized by the naturalistic representation of the external world

Derived forms of figurative

figuratively, adverbfigurativeness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

单词	figurative
释义	figurative [ fig-yer-uh-tiv ] / ˈfɪg yər ə tɪv / SEE SYNONYMS FOR figurative ON THESAURUS.COM adjective of the nature of or involving a figure of speech, especially a metaphor; metaphorical and not literal: The word "head" has several figurative senses, as in "She's the head of the company." metaphorically so called: His remark was a figurative boomerang. abounding in or fond of figures of speech: Elizabethan poetry is highly figurative. representing by means of a figure or likeness, as in drawing or sculpture. representing by a figure or emblem; emblematic. Origin of figurative First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English figuratif, fygurative, from Old French figuratif, from Late Latin figūrātīvus; see origin at figure, -ative SYNONYMS FOR figurative 1 metaphorical, not literal, symbolic. 3 ornate, ornamental, flowery, elaborate, florid, grandiloquent. SEE SYNONYMS FOR figurative ON THESAURUS.COM OTHER WORDS FROM figurative fig·ur·a·tive·ly, adverbfig·ur·a·tive·ness, nounnon·fig·ur·a·tive, adjectivenon·fig·ur·a·tive·ness, noun sem·i·fig·ur·a·tive, adjectivesem·i·fig·ur·a·tive·ness, nounun·fig·ur·a·tive, adjectiveun·fig·ur·a·tive·ness, noun WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH figurative figuratively , literally, virtually Words nearby figurative figurant, figurante, figurate, figurate number, figuration, figurative, figurative language, figuratively, figure, figure and ground, figured Dictionary.com UnabridgedBased on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020 Example sentences from the Web for figurative Bauer literally had a Rosebud moment, but may not have had a figurative one. We All Have a Rosebud in Our Pasts\|Sam Roberts\|October 15, 2014\|DAILY BEAST No, says the confused C.K, who expected the figurative nature of his statement to be obvious. The Movement for Patient Access to Doctors’ Notes Is Growing\|Janelle Dumalaon\|June 2, 2014\|DAILY BEAST Cheshire is less interested in the literal, chromosomal answer than the figurative one. This Week’s Hot Reads: Dec. 2, 2013\|Mythili Rao and Thomas Flynn, Mythili Rao, Thomas Flynn\|December 2, 2013\|DAILY BEAST In that moment, Will has fully embraced the figurative dark side. In The Good Wife’s Explosive ‘Hitting the Fan,’ That’s Exactly What Happens\|Chancellor Agard\|October 28, 2013\|DAILY BEAST In a figurative way, palimpsest refers to an object or place that reflects its own history. The Thief of Words: Starling Lawrence\|Jill Bialosky\|October 11, 2013\|DAILY BEAST Mark Twain wanted to point out the absurdity of taking the allegories and the figurative language of the Bible literally. Mark Twain\|Archibald Henderson He adds that an intelligent Indian once suggested that this was a figurative representation of the revolution of the seasons. Contribution to Passamaquoddy Folk-Lore\|J. Walter Fewkes But he has some defects; in his Essay on the Human Understanding he is often too figurative for the subject. Introduction to the Literature of Europe in the Fifteenth, Sixteenth, and Seventeenth Centuries, Vol. 2\|Henry Hallam By way of further expression of the same idea, Aristotle passes into figurative language. A Critical History of Greek Philosophy\|W. T. Stace If Ryanne laughed in his sleeve, Mahomed certainly found ample room in his for such silent and figurative cachinnations. The Carpet from Bagdad\|Harold MacGrath British Dictionary definitions for figurative figurative / (ˈfɪɡərətɪv) / adjective of the nature of, resembling, or involving a figure of speech; not literal; metaphorical using or filled with figures of speech representing by means of an emblem, likeness, figure, etc (in painting, sculpture, etc) of, relating to, or characterized by the naturalistic representation of the external world Derived forms of figurative figuratively, adverbfigurativeness, noun Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Words related to figurative descriptive, allegorical, metaphorical, florid, fanciful, pictorial, metaphoric, flowery, illustrative, ornate, representative, typical, denotative, emblematic, poetical, signifying
随便看	in one's right mind in one's shell in one's tracks in one stroke in one's way inoperable inoperative inoperculate inopportune in orbit in order inordinate inorg. inorganic inorganic acid inorganic chemistry inorganic compound inorganic molecules inorganic murmur inorganization inosamine inoscopy inosculate inosemia inosilicate

figurative

adjective

Origin of figurative

SYNONYMS FOR figurative

OTHER WORDS FROM figurative

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH figurative

Words nearby figurative

Example sentences from the Web for figurative

British Dictionary definitions for figurative

adjective

Derived forms of figurative

Words related to figurative