litotes
9.9
Saying something good by saying the opposite is not true
- noun
- /ˈlaɪtəˌtiːz/
- Literature
:
litote
- His remark, that the movie was not boring, was an example of litotes to subtly praise it.
Examples
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The author employed litotes in her poem by saying it was not a bad idea to highlight the beauty of nature.
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Using litotes, he described his difficult journey as not the easiest path to take.
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Litotes, to use the rhetorical term.
Fiction book (1995) -
" Litotes, dear lady."
Fiction book (2002)
Synonyms
44
8.2
A use of words that means more than the usual meaning
is narrower, referring to one rhetorical pattern using denial to show a positive
figure of speech
vslitotes
20
3.7
Words used to mean something different to create a strong picture
is a specific rhetorical form that denies the opposite to state a positive
9.8
Using words that make something seem less serious or important than it is
is about expressing a positive idea specifically by denying the opposite
Surface Forms
Etymology
Litotes comes from the Greek litos, meaning 'simple' or 'plain'. A helpful way to remember it is that litotes is a 'plain' way of speaking that says the negative of the opposite—like 'not bad' to mean 'good'—so the origin explains why it means saying something in a mild or less strong way.