Litotes is a figure of speech consisting of an understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by negating its opposite.Below are a few examples of litotes from daily conversations: 1 They do not seem the happiest couple around. 2 The ice cream was not too bad.unction of Litotes.
Litotes. Definition: Litotes are figures of rhetoric speech that use an understated statement of an affirmative by using a negative description. Rarely talked about, but commonly used in modern day conversations, litotes are a discreet way of saying something unpleasant without directly using negativity. noun. Ironical understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of its contrary (e.g. I shan’t be sorry for I shall be glad). Example sentences. 1  Yet this definition fails to explain instances of litotes, or understatement, which is often classified as a kind of irony. 1 Yet this definition fails to explain instances of litotes, or understatement, which is often classified as a kind of irony. 2  First one must register his anti-Idealism, his antipathy toward the idea becoming metonymical litotes for such. Definition. Litotes is a figure of speech consisting of an understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by negating its opposite. Plural: litotes. Adjective: litotic. 1  Litotes describes the object to which it refers not directly, but through the negation of the opposite. . . .  2 The account given in various rhetorical textbooks reveals a picture of the rhetorical figure litotes which is--to put it aptly--'not very clear.' . . . Definition of Litotes. Litotes is a figure of speech in which a negative statement is used to affirm a positive sentiment. For example, when asked how someone is doing, that person might respond, “I’m not bad.” In fact, this means that the person is doing fine or even quite well. Litotes is a form of ironic understatement. An understatement can be any expression that minimizes the importance of something. Understatement and litotes both invoke a certain restraint or stoicism when describing Definition of LITOTES. : understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of the contrary (as in “not a bad singer” or “not unhappy”). ADVERTISEMENT. Common Litotes Examples. In everyday life, it is common to experience litotes in conversations although not many people are aware of this term and its usage. Below are a few examples of litotes from daily conversations: 1  They do not seem the happiest couple around. 2  The ice cream was not too bad. Function of Litotes. Litotes uses ironical understatement in order to emphasize an idea or situation rather than minimizing its importance. It rather discovers a unique way to attract people’s attention to an idea and that is by ignoring it. However, the definition of litotes is much more specific than that of understatement. Litotes only refers to the negation of one quality to emphasize its opposite. If a person is “not unimaginative,” this negation of the negative quality “unimaginative” implies that the person is, in fact, imaginative. Litotes is a form of ironic understatement. An understatement can be any expression that minimizes the importance of something. Understatement and litotes both invoke a certain restraint or stoicism when describing Litotes Definition. Litotes, derived from a Greek word meaning “simple”, is a figure of speech which employs an understatement by using double negatives or, in other words, positive statement is expressed by negating its opposite expressions. Function of Litotes. Litotes uses ironical understatement in order to emphasize an idea or situation rather than minimizing its importance. It rather discovers a unique way to attract people’s attention to an idea and that is by ignoring it.
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litotes definition and examples