syllepsis

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: syl=lep=sis

CIDE DICTIONARY

syllepsis, n. [L., fr. Gr. sy`llhpsis a taking together, from . See syllable, n.].

•  A figure of speech by which a word is used in a literal and metaphorical sense at the same time.  [1913 Webster]
•  The agreement of a verb or adjective with one, rather than another, of two nouns, with either of which it might agree in gender, number, etc.; as, rex et regina beati.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

syllepsis, n. (pl. syllepses) a figure of speech in which a word is applied to two others in different senses (e.g. caught the train and a bad cold) or to two others of which it grammatically suits one only (e.g. neither they nor it is working) (cf. ZEUGMA).

Derivative

sylleptic adj. sylleptically adv.

Etymology

LL f. Gk sullepsis taking together f. sullambano: see SYLLABLE