figurative
pronunciation
How to pronounce figurative in British English:
UK [ˈfɪɡərətɪv]
How to pronounce figurative in American English:
US [ˈfɪɡjərətɪv]
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- Adjective:
- (used of the meanings of words or text) not literal; using figures of speech
- consisting of or forming human or animal figures
Word Origin
- figurative (adj.)
- late 14c., "emblematical," from Old French figuratif "metaphorical," from Late Latin figurativus "figurative" (of speech), from figurat-, past participle stem of Latin figurare "to form, shape," from figura "a shape, form, figure" (see figure (n.)). Of speech, language, etc., "allegorical, metaphoric, involving figures of speech," from late 14c. Related: Figuratively.
Antonym
Example
- 1. Jonathan especially enjoys portrait painting and other figurative works .
- 2. You may start out in the figurative hell of a disney theme-park , but you end up with the real thing .
- 3. Bulls ( of the figurative kind ) contend that the economics of farming are enjoying a secular improvement as the climate changes , as people in emerging markets adopt more protein-based diets , and so on .
- 4. In the figurative sense , this is a border that is always moving-as you advance forward in your studies and realizations , that mysterious forest of the unknown always stays a few feet ahead of you , so you have to travel light in order to keep following it .