| NOUN | communication | litotes, meiosis | understatement for rhetorical effect (especially when expressing an affirmative by negating its contrary) |
|---|
| Meaning | understatement for rhetorical effect (especially when expressing an affirmative by negating its contrary). | |
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| Example | "saying 'I was not a little upset' when you mean 'I was very upset' is an example of litotes" | |
| Synonym | meiosis | |
| Broader | rhetorical device | A use of language that creates a literary effect (but often without regard for literal significance) |
| understatement | A statement that is restrained in ironic contrast to what might have been said | |
| Spanish | atenuación, litote, lítote, meiosis | |
| Catalan | lítote | |
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