litotes

Definitions


[lʌɪˈtəʊtiːz], (Noun)

Definitions:
- ironic 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)


Phrases:

Origin:
late 16th century: via late Latin from Greek litotēs, from litos ‘plain, meagre’




definition by Oxford Dictionaries