Which term describes a phrase that has a figurative meaning different from its literal meaning?

The term that describes a phrase with a figurative meaning distinct from its literal interpretation is an idiom. Idioms are expressions or phrases that do not convey their meaning through the individual words used; instead, the overall phrase takes on a unique meaning understood culturally or contextually. For example, the expression "kick the bucket" figuratively means to die, which is far removed from the literal act of kicking a bucket.

While proverbs convey general truths or principles based on common sense or experience, metaphors make direct comparisons between two unrelated things without using "like" or "as," and similes do the same but with the comparative words included. Each of these terms has distinct characteristics that set them apart from idioms, which specifically involve phrases with culturally understood meanings that differ from their literal definitions.