To speak or write metaphorically means to describe something by comparing it to something else, even though the two things aren't literally the same. When your teacher says a student “devoured” a book, she doesn't mean the student actually ate it. She's speaking metaphorically, comparing eager reading to hungry eating because both involve consuming something quickly and completely.

Metaphorical language helps us understand abstract or complicated ideas by connecting them to concrete things we already know. When someone says “time is money,” they're speaking metaphorically to express that time, like money, shouldn't be wasted. When a coach tells the team “we need to turn up the heat,” she's using temperature metaphorically to talk about effort and intensity.

Scientists and mathematicians often say they're speaking metaphorically when they use everyday words to describe complex phenomena. A physicist might describe particles “dancing” or spacetime “bending.” These words aren't literally accurate, but they help us picture what's happening.

The opposite is speaking literally, which means using words in their exact, dictionary meanings. Learning to recognize when someone is speaking metaphorically versus literally is an important reading skill. When your mom says your room looks like a tornado hit it, understanding that she's speaking metaphorically helps you realize she wants you to clean up, not that she thinks actual 200-mph winds passed through your bedroom.