| English Dictionary |
LITOTES
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
Dictionary entry overview: What does litotes mean?
• LITOTES (noun)
The noun LITOTES has 1 sense:
1. understatement for rhetorical effect (especially when expressing an affirmative by negating its contrary)
Familiarity information: LITOTES used as a noun is very rare.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
Understatement for rhetorical effect (especially when expressing an affirmative by negating its contrary)
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Synonyms:
litotes; meiosis
Context example:
saying 'I was not a little upset' when you mean 'I was very upset' is an example of litotes
Hypernyms ("litotes" is a kind of...):
understatement (a statement that is restrained in ironic contrast to what might have been said)
rhetorical device (a use of language that creates a literary effect (but often without regard for literal significance))
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