A common phrase or expression that has a non-literal meaning is called?

A common phrase or expression that has a non-literal meaning is called?

• A. Idiom
• B. Metaphor
• C. Nuance
• D. Inflectional ending

Answer: (A)

An idiom is a common phrase whose meaning isn’t literal. The whole expression is understood within a language community, so you can’t figure out its meaning just from the individual words. For example, “kick the bucket” doesn’t mean to physically kick a bucket; it means to die. Metaphor is a broader figure of speech that makes a direct comparison, like “time is a thief,” and isn’t necessarily a fixed everyday phrase. Nuance refers to subtle differences in meaning or tone, not a fixed expression. Inflectional ending is a grammatical suffix that marks tense or number, not a figurative expression. So the term that best fits a common phrase with a non-literal meaning is idiom.

An idiom is a common phrase whose meaning isn’t literal. The whole expression is understood within a language community, so you can’t figure out its meaning just from the individual words. For example, “kick the bucket” doesn’t mean to physically kick a bucket; it means to die. Metaphor is a broader figure of speech that makes a direct comparison, like “time is a thief,” and isn’t necessarily a fixed everyday phrase. Nuance refers to subtle differences in meaning or tone, not a fixed expression. Inflectional ending is a grammatical suffix that marks tense or number, not a figurative expression. So the term that best fits a common phrase with a non-literal meaning is idiom.