Litotes

Pronunciation

• RP enPR: lÄ«tō'tÄ“z, IPA: /laɪˈtəʊ.tiːz/
• Hyphenation: li-to-tes

Origin

From Ancient Greek λιτότης, from λιτός (litos, "simple").

Full definition of litotes

Noun

1. (rhetoric) 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

Related terms

• litote

Anagrams

• toilets