Totum pro parte is Latin for "(taking) the whole for a part"; it refers to a kind of synecdoche. When used in a context of language it means that something is named after something of which it is only a part (or only a limited characteristic, in itself not necessarily representative for the whole). A pars pro toto is the opposite of a totum pro parte in which a part is used to describe the whole.[1]
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In geography
Some placenames are commonly used to refer synonymously to a larger area than is strictly deemed correct. Examples of this are America (for the United States, see use of the word American), Britain (for England), Micronesia (for the Federated States of Micronesia), and Ireland for the Republic of Ireland.
In language
The verb "to drink" is often used in this manner. Depending on context it can stand for the generic, standard definition "to consume a fluid" (e.g. "I'm thirsty, is there anything to drink?") or for the narrow, limited definition "to imbibe alcoholic beverages" (e.g. "He goes out to drink too often").
See also
References
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