緩かん叙じょ法ほう

noun

litotes; meiosis

A rhetorical device where an affirmative is expressed by negating its opposite, often for understatement or ironic effect. Technical term used in literary analysis.

• 「悪わるくない」という表ひょう現げんは緩かん叙じょ法ほうの一いち例れいだ。

  The expression 'not bad' is an example of litotes.

• 彼かれのスピーチには緩かん叙じょ法ほうが多た用ようされていた。

  His speech made frequent use of litotes.