Origin: 1525–35; < L metaphora < Gk metaphorá a transfer, akin to metaphérein to transfer. See meta-, -phore Middle English methaphor, from Old French metaphore, from Latin metaphora, from Greek, transference, metaphor, from metapherein, to transfer : meta-, meta- + pherein, to carry; see bher-1 in Indo-European Roots.
metaphoric ( met’a·phor’ic) meta·phoric (-fôrk, -fr-) or meta·phori·caladj.
adj : expressing one thing in terms normally denoting another; “a metaphorical expression”; “metaphoric language”; a symbol [syn: metaphorical]
The Metaphors inherent in design, originating from, base symbolism of design.