define 'metaphor'
metaphor noun [C or U]. C2 an âexpression, often âfound in âliterature, that âdescribes a âperson or âobject by referring to something that is âconsidered to have âsimilar âcharacteristics to that âperson or âobject: The âmind is an âocean and the âcity is a âjungle are both metaphors.