Dictionary Definition
figurative adj
1 (used of the meanings of words or text) not
literal; using figures of speech; "figurative language" [syn:
nonliteral] [ant:
literal]
2 consisting of or forming human or animal
figures; "a figural design"; "the figurative art of the humanistic
tradition"- Herbert Read [syn: figural]
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Adjective
figurative (figuratively)- Metaphorical,
as opposed to literal, a
form of speech in which figures of speech are applied and there is
an intention for the reader to understand a deeper meaning than the
face-value of the words. Also known as "reading between the lines."
- The lovers she seems to pursue with her figurative language in fact retreat under the barrage of similes, metaphors and fables. — New York Times, May 1, 2005
- Metaphorically so called
- With many figures of speech
- Emblematic
Antonyms
Translations
metaphorical form of speech
- Finnish: kuvaannollinen
- German: bildlich, figürlich, symbolisch, übertragen
metaphorically so called
- German: im übertragenen Sinne
with many figures of speech
- German: bilderreich
emblematic
- German: sinnbildlich, symbolisch
Italian
Adjective
figurative- Feminine plural form of figurativo
Extensive Definition
Figurative may refer to:
Synonyms, Antonyms and Related Words
adorned, algorismic, algorithmic, aliquot, allegoric, allegorical, allusive, anagogic, apish, associational, befrilled, cardinal, colored, connotational, connotative, decimal, decorated, definable, delineatory, demonstrative, denominative, denotational, denotative, depictive, designative, diagnostic, differential, digital, echoic, embellished, emblematic, embodying, embroidered, even, evidential, exhibitive, exponential, expressive, extended, extensional, fancy, festooned, figural, figurate, figured, finite, florid, flowery, fractional, full of meaning,
full of point, full of substance, graphic, identifying, ideographic, idiosyncratic, illustrational, illustrative, imaginary, imitative, impair, implicative, impossible, incarnating, indicating, indicative, indicatory, individual, infinite, integral, intelligible, intensional, interpretable, irrational, limning, logarithmic, logometric, lush, luxuriant, mannered, meaning, meaningful, meaty, metaphorical, mimetic, mimish, naming, negative, numeral, numerary, numerative, numeric, odd, onomatopoeic, ordinal, ornamented, ornate, overcharged, overloaded, pair, pathognomonic, peculiar, personifying, pictographic, pictorial, pithy, pointed, portraying, positive, possible, pregnant, prime, purple, radical, rational, readable, real, reciprocal, referential, representational,
representative,
representing,
semantic, semiotic, sententious, signalizing, significant, significative, signifying, simulative, submultiple, substantial, suggestive, surd, symbolic, symbolistic, symbolizing, symbological, symptomatic, symptomatologic,
transcendental,
transferred,
trolatitious,
tropological,
typical, typifying, vivid