
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.
[Greek lītotēs, from lītos, plain.]
On this page
American Heritage Dictionary:
li·to·tes |

[Greek lītotēs, from lītos, plain.]
|
Featured Videos:
|
Fowler's Modern English Usage:
litotes |
| literally, litany, liturgy, lira | |
| litre, liveable, livid |
Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms:
litotes |
litotes
Columbia Encyclopedia:
litotes |
Poetry Glossary:
Litotes |
A type of meiosis (understatement) in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of the contrary.
Random House Word Menu:
categories related to 'litotes' |

Rhymes:
litotes |
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
Litotes |
In rhetoric, litotes (
/ˈlaɪtɵtiːz/,[1] US /ˈlɪtətiːz/ or /laɪˈtoʊtiːz/) is a figure of speech in which understatement is employed for rhetorical effect when an idea is expressed by a denial of its opposite, principally via double negatives.[2][3][4] For example, rather than saying that something is attractive (or even very attractive), one might merely say it is "not unattractive."
Litotes is a form of understatement, always deliberate and with the intention of emphasis.[5] However, the interpretation of negation may depend on context, including cultural context. In speech, it may also depend on intonation and emphasis; for example, the phrase "not bad" can be said in such a way as to mean anything from "mediocre" to "excellent."
The use of litotes appeals specifically to certain cultures including the northern Europeans and is popular in English, Russian, and French. They are features of Old English poetry and of the Icelandic sagas and are a means of much stoical restraint.[6]
George Orwell complained about overuse of the 'not un...' construction in his essay "Politics and the English Language".
|
Contents
|
| Litotes: | As a means of saying: |
| "Not bad." | "Good." |
| "[…] no ordinary city." Acts 21:39 (NIV) | "[…] a very impressive city." |
| "That [sword] was not useless / to the warrior now." (Beowulf) | "The warrior has a use for the sword now." |
| "He was not unfamiliar with the works of Dickens." | "He was acquainted with the works of Dickens." |
| "She is not as young as she was." | "She's old." |
| "Not unlike..." | "Like..." |
| "You are not wrong." | "You are correct." |
In Classical Greek, instances of litotes can be found as far back as Homer. In Book 24 of the Iliad, Zeus describes Achilles like this: "οὔτε γάρ ἔστ᾽ ἄφρων οὔτ᾽ ἄσκοπος..." (line 186), "he is neither unthinking, nor unseeing", meaning that he is both wise and prudent.
In French, "pas mal" (not bad) is used similarly to the English, while "il n'est pas antipathique" ("he is not disagreeable") is an example, actually meaning "il est très sympathique" ("he is nice"), though you don't want to admit it. Another typical example is : "Ce n'est pas bête!" ("It's not stupid") generally said to admit a clever suggestion without showing oneself as too enthusiastic. Another translation of "Ce n'est pas bête!" can be "It is not [stupid,bad]," which is not so much a litote as a simple statement. In fact, in that past sentence, the litote "which is not so much a" means simply it is not! Litotes are oft used in daily language without recognization even from the speaker.
One of the most famous litotes of French literature is to be found in Pierre Corneille's Le Cid (1636). The heroine, Chimène, says to her lover Rodrigue, who just killed her father: "Va, je ne te hais point" ("Go, I hate you not"), meaning "I love you".
In Chinese, the phrase "不错" (literally "not wrong") is often used to present something as very good or correct (i.e., distinct in meaning from the English "not bad" or the general use of the French "pas mal"). Also, the phrase "不简单" (literally "not simple") is used to refer to an impressive feat. Similarly, in Dutch, the phrase "niet slecht" (also literally meaning "not bad") is often used to present something as very good or correct.
In Italian, meno male (literally "less bad") is similar to the English expression, "So much the better" - used to comment that a situation is more desirable than its negative.
In Latin, an example of litotes can be found in Ovid's Metamorphoses: "non semel" (bk. 1 ln. 692) => 'not one occasion'= 'on more than one occasion'. Some common words are derived from litotes: "nonnulli" from "non nulli" ("not none") is understood to mean "several", while "nonnumquam" from "non numquam" ("not never") is used for "sometimes".
In Spanish, it is usual to say "No es nada tonto" ("It's not foolish"), as a form of compliment (i.e., to say something was smart or clever).
In Turkish, it is quite common to say "Hiç fena değil!" ("Not so bad"), as a form of compliment.
| Look up litotes in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
| figure of speech (in linguistics) | |
| meiosis | |
| periphrasis |
| What is a good example of a litote? Read answer... | |
| What is the difference between hyperbole and litotes? Read answer... | |
| Is the phrase never a dull moment an example of a litote? Read answer... |
| Where are litotes in Beowulf? | |
| What is an example of a litote? | |
| What are the example of litotes? |
Copyrights:
![]() |
![]() | American Heritage Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
| Fowler's Modern English Usage. Oxford University Press. © 1999, 2004 All rights reserved. Read more | ||
![]() | Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms. Copyright © Chris Baldick 2001, 2004. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() |
![]() | Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/. Read more |
![]() |
![]() | Obscure Words. © 2008 by Michael A. Fischer http://home.comcast.net/~wwftd. Read more |
![]() | Poetry Glossary. Copyright � 2007, ILOVEPOETRY, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Read more | |
![]() |
![]() | Random House Word Menu. © 2010 Write Brothers Inc. Word Menu is a registered trademark of the Estate of Stephen Glazier. Write Brothers Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
| Rhymes. Oxford University Press. © 2006, 2007 All rights reserved. Read more | ||
![]() |
![]() | Wikipedia on Answers.com. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Litotes. Read more |
Mentioned in