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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

fig·u·ra·tive       (fĭg'yər-ə-tĭv)  Pronunciation Key  adj.   Based on or making use of figures of speech; metaphorical: figurative language. Containing many figures of speech; ornate. Represented by a figure or resemblance; symbolic or emblematic. Of or relating to artistic representation by means of animal or human figures. fig'u·ra·tive·ly adv., fig'u·ra·tive·ness n.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

figurative
adjective
1.	(used of the meanings of words or text) not literal; using figures of speech; "figurative language" [ant: literal]
2.	consisting of or forming human or animal figures; "a figural design"; "the figurative art of the humanistic tradition"- Herbert Read [syn: figural]

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

figurative

Fig"ur*ate\, a. [L. figuratus, p. p. of figurare. See Figure.]

1. Of a definite form or figure.

Plants are all figurate and determinate, which inanimate bodies are not. --Bacon.

2. Figurative; metaphorical. [Obs.] --Bale.

3. (Mus.) Florid; figurative; involving passing discords by the freer melodic movement of one or more parts or voices in the harmony; as, figurate counterpoint or descant.

Figurate counterpoint or descant (Mus.), that which is not simple, or in which the parts do not move together tone for tone, but in which freer movement of one or more parts mingles passing discords with the harmony; -- called also figural, figurative, and figured counterpoint or descant (although the term figured is more commonly applied to a bass with numerals written above or below to indicate the other notes of the harmony).

Figurate numbers (Math.), numbers, or series of numbers, formed from any arithmetical progression in which the first term is a unit, and the difference a whole number, by taking the first term, and the sums of the first two, first three, first four, etc., as the successive terms of a new series, from which another may be formed in the same manner, and so on, the numbers in the resulting series being such that points representing them are capable of symmetrical arrangement in different geometrical figures, as triangles, squares, pentagons, etc.

Note: In the following example, the two lower lines are composed of figurate numbers, those in the second line being triangular, and represented thus: -- . 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. . . . 1, 3, 6, 10, etc. . . . . . . . etc. 1, 4, 10, 20, etc . . . . . . . . . . . .