Synecdoche is a figure of speech which substitutes a whole object with one aspect of that object. It may also be used to replace a specific object with something more generalized. A kind of imagery, synecdoche is often used in both poetry and prose, as well as in casual speech and slang. The term is nearly identical to the Greek word in which it was derived, synekdoche, which means "simultaneous understanding".
Often used to characterize and control imagery, synecdoche is employed by authors and the casual conversationalist alike. In synecdoche, a specific part of an object is understood to mean the whole object. For example, saying "the talon swooped down upon its prey," replaces a bird of prey with one aspect of that bird: its talon. In this case, the device is most likely used to control the image of the bird in the reader's mind. Drawing attention to a single clawed foot, the exact appendage engaged in the act rather than the bird as a whole, the technique serves as a sort of written close-up.
Often used to characterize and control imagery, synecdoche is employed by authors and the casual conversationalist alike. In synecdoche, a specific part of an object is understood to mean the whole object. For example, saying "the talon swooped down upon its prey," replaces a bird of prey with one aspect of that bird: its talon. In this case, the device is most likely used to control the image of the bird in the reader's mind. Drawing attention to a single clawed foot, the exact appendage engaged in the act rather than the bird as a whole, the technique serves as a sort of written close-up.