Litotes

Word LITOTES
Character 7
Hyphenation ‖Li to tes
Pronunciations /laɪˈtəʊ.tiːz/

Definitions and meanings of "Litotes"

What do we mean by litotes?

A figure of speech consisting of an understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by negating its opposite, as in This is no small problem. noun

In rhetoric, a figure in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of the contrary. Thus, “a citizen of no mean city” means one “of an illustrious city.” noun

A diminution or softening of statement for the sake of avoiding censure or increasing the effect by contrast with the moderation shown in the form of expression; a form of understatement. noun

A figure of speech in which the speaker emphasizes the magnitude of a statement by denying its opposite; a figure of speech in which understatement is used with negation to express a positive attribute; a form of irony noun

Understatement for rhetorical effect (especially when expressing an affirmative by negating its contrary) noun

An ironic figure of speech whereby something is stated by denying its opposite, particularly the negation of a negative quality to say something positive.

Synonyms and Antonyms for Litotes

  • Synonyms for litotes
  • Litotes synonyms not found!!!
  • Antonyms for litotes
  • Litotes antonyms not found!

The word "litotes" in example sentences

At first called litotes or meiosis, such understatement came to be called irony, at least by the end of the sixteenth century. ❋ NORMAN D. KNOX (1968)

This construction is technically called litotes; it's a form of deliberate understatement that is often used comically. ❋ RUSSELL SMITH (2011)

A factually accurate restatement of my position, but a kind of litotes, like saying Lucy Liu is not very hideous at all. ❋ Unknown (2010)

Belated kudos to ricky p., on that splendid "litotes" analogy. ❋ Unknown (2007)

I'm not obscenely uneducated, but I had to look up "litotes". ❋ CC (2008)

They could be employing the subtle literary device of "litotes". ❋ Richard (2005)

For readers too young to remember Dangerfield, that's not litotes. ❋ James Taranto (2011)

In a rare experiment with litotes he said: We could have bowled better; we should have bowled differently. ❋ Unknown (2011)

After all, Noir Nick's weapons are indeed his merciless use of sarcasm, dramatic irony, metaphor, bathos, puns, parody, litotes and satire, along with the gift and command of True Poetry. ❋ Binky Philips (2011)

The graph below illustrates that incidents of anti-social behaviour have fallen minimally; and that ignores that many incidents are never reported and that crime statistics are, shall we say, often an exercise in litotes. ❋ Unknown (2010)

"He knew all the tricks: hyperbole, litotes, satire...he was vicious!" ❋ Bill Crider (2009)

For one thing, so often what they deny, refuse, protest against, is mortality itself, is death, nothingness, ceasing-to-be, and as such are actually litotes – double negatives that make postivies – they are on the side of life. ❋ Unknown (2007)

We all use litotes even if we don't know what it's called, or how it operates. ❋ CC (2008)

Being uncivil without swearing is one of my favourite manifestations of this, and one that causes no small amount hey, what you know; litotes! of miscommunication and grief. ❋ CC (2008)

Cross Reference for Litotes

What does litotes mean?

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