The word “metaphor” comes from the Greek word ‘metaphora’, which is derived from ‘metapherein’, meaning ‘to transfer’ or ‘to carry over’. This Greek term itself is composed of two parts: ‘meta-‘, meaning ‘over, across’ or ‘beyond’, and ‘pherein’, meaning ‘to carry’ or ‘to bear’.
In its original Greek usage, ‘metaphora’ was used in the context of rhetoric to describe the act of carrying meaning from one word or phrase to another, essentially transferring the qualities of one object or idea to another for the purpose of comparison or explanation. This concept of transferring meaning is at the heart of what metaphors do in language: they create a link between two different things, suggesting a likeness or analogy between them.
Introduced into English in the 15th century, the word “metaphor” has retained this meaning. It refers to a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable, in order to suggest a resemblance, such as in the phrase “time is a thief”, where time is being metaphorically likened to a thief in terms of its ability to ‘steal’ moments from us.
Thus, “metaphor” is a word with Greek roots that has maintained its original conceptual meaning throughout its journey into English.
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