Metonymy is a figure of speech in which a thing or concept is not called by its own name, but by the name of something intimately associated with that thing or concept. Metonymies are frequently used in literature and in everyday speech and often chosen because it is a well-known characteristic of a word. Understanding metonymy is contingent on knowing the meanings of the associated words used, otherwise readers will be left confused by the context of a written work. Metonymies are often considered a hidden language, because many words can be used in the place of others