No. 57 - Metonym

I read today that Detroit lost 50% of its population in the last 60 years. In 1950, Detroit was the 4th most populated city with about 1.8 million people. Today it's 11th with about 900,000 people. I found that significant. Recent news reported that Detroit's unemployment rate was near 50%. I found that significant.

I learned that Detroit is the only major - I guess 11th place would still be considered major - U.S. city that looks south to Canada.

I learned that the city's name originated from the French word "detroit" which means strait, characterizing its location on the river connecting the Great Lakes.

I also learned that the name Detroit is a metonym (pronounced met-uh-nim) for the American automobile industry. A metonym is a word or phrase that can be substituted for another word with which it is closely associated. Sweat is a metonym for hard work. A broken heart is a metonym for someone who has lost his/her love. Hollywood is a metonym for the American film and television industry.