litotes meaning

UK US

litotes (noun): understatement for rhetorical effect (especially when expressing an affirmative by negating its contrary).

Definition of litotes

  1. understatement for rhetorical effect (especially when expressing an affirmative by negating its contrary)
    • saying `I was not a little upset' when you mean `I was very upset' is an example of litotes

    Synonyms: meiosis

    Type of: rhetorical device, understatement

Scrabble score: 7 (letter breakdown)

Word lists: words starting with LI · words ending in ES · 7-letter words

More about litotes on Wikipedia.