fig‧u‧ra‧tive /ˈfɪɡjərətɪv, ˈfɪɡjʊrətɪv, -ɡə-/ adjective

1. a figurative word or phrase is used in a different way from its usual meaning, to give you a particular idea or picture in your mind ⇒ literal:
He’s my son, in the figurative sense of the word.

2. technical figurative art shows objects, people, or the countryside as they really look ⇒ abstract
—figuratively adverb:
They have a taste – figuratively speaking – for excitement.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲