# merismus

> English word · Noun · IPA /məˈɹɪzməs/

## Definitions
1. A metonymic term to describe a type of synecdoche in which two parts of a thing, perhaps contrasting or complementary parts, are made to stand for the whole.

## Etymology
From Ancient Greek μερισμός (merismós, “a dividing”), derived from the Ancient Greek verb μερίζω (merízō, “to divide into parts”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/merismus