| litotes | |
| li-to'-tees | from Gk litos, "plain, small, meagre" |
| Also sp. lyptote, liptote | |
| antenantiosis diminutio (deminutio), extenuatio |
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| the moderatour |
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Deliberate understatement, especially when expressing a thought by denying its opposite. | |
| The Ad Herennium author suggests litotes as a means of expressing modesty (downplaying one's accomplishments) in order to gain the audience's favor (establishing ethos). | ||
| Examples | ||
| It isn't very
serious. I have this tiny little tumor on the brain. —J.D. Salinger,
The Catcher in the Rye
Running a marathon in under two hours is no small accomplishment. |
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| Related Figures | ||
| Related Topics of Invention | ||
| Sources: | Ad Herennium 4.38.50 ("deminutio"); Sherry (1550) 61 ("liptote," "extenuatio"); Peacham (1577) H2v; Putt. (1589) 195 ("liptote," "the moderatour"); Day 1599 84 ("liptote") | |
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