What does "figurative" mean?
Figurative: Used in a sense that is tropical, as a metaphor; not literal; -- applied to words and expressions.
Additional senses
- 2.Ambounding in figures of speech; flowery; florid; as, a highly figurative description.
- 3.Relating to the representation of form or figure by drawing, carving, etc. See Figure, n., 2. They belonged to a nation dedicated to the figurative arts, and they wrote for a public familiar with painted form. J. A. Symonds. Figurative counterpointdescant. See under Figurate. -- Fig"ur*a*tive*ly, adv. -- Fig"ur*a*tive*ness, n.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17 · Modified: 2026-07-17