rfc
English
Pronunciation
IPA: /lai.�to.tiz/
Schoolbook Phonetics: (līt��t�z)
Last Resort Phonetics: lie-TOH-teez
Etymology
Greek λι���η� » λι��� ('simple')
el:λι���
Noun
litotes (plural: ~)
#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
#* She's not the nicest person I know (to indicate meanness)
#* He's not exactly a rocket scientist (to indicate lack of intelligence)
#* Organizing these records is no small task (to indicate difficulty)
See also
auxesis
meiosis
paradiastole
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