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Meaning of litotes in English
Pronunciation
/ˈlaɪdəˌtiz/
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Noun
litotes
Etymology
late 16th century: via late Latin from Greek litotēs, from litos‘plain, meager’
Definitions
1.
understatement for rhetorical effect (especially when expressing an affirmative by negating its contrary)
Examples
« saying 'I was not a little upset' when you mean 'I was very upset' is an example of litotes »