Litotes

//laɪˈtəʊ.tiːz// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A figure of speech whereby something is stated by denying its opposite. countable, rhetoric, uncountable

    "The delicacy which prompts a later generation to reject that name is by no means necessarily a result of stricter habits, is far more often due to the flatness which comes of untiring repetition and to the greater piquancy of litotes."

  2. 2
    understatement for rhetorical effect (especially when expressing an affirmative by negating its contrary) wordnet
  3. 3
    A figure of speech whereby something is stated by denying its opposite.; The negation of a negative quality to assert a positive. countable, especially, rhetoric, uncountable

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Late Latin lītotēs, from Ancient Greek λιτότης (litótēs, literally “plainness”), from λιτός (litós, “simple”).

Next best steps

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: litotes