litotes

li·to·tes  (lt-tz, lt-, l-ttz)

n. pl. litotes

A figure of speech consisting of an understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by negating its opposite, as in This is no small problem.

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[Greek ltots, from ltos, plain; see lei- in Indo-European roots.]

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litotes

Noun

pl -tes understatement used for effect, for example `She was not a little upset' meaning `She was extremely upset' [Greek litos small]

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litotes

an understatement, especially one in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of the contrary, as in “it’s not unpleasant.”

See also: Rhetoric and Rhetorical Devices

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

litotes - understatement for rhetorical effect (especially when expressing an affirmative by negating its contrary); "saying `I was not a little upset' when you mean `I was very upset' is an example of litotes" meiosis understatement - a statement that is restrained in ironic contrast to what might have been said rhetorical device - a use of language that creates a literary effect (but often without regard for literal significance)