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meiosis

noun

Understatement for rhetorical effect (especially when expressing an affirmative by negating its contrary)

Quick reference

Word Facts

Word length
7
Starts with
M
Ends with
S
Contains
EI
Scrabble score
9

How it sounds

Pronunciation

maɪˈəʊsɪs

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Audio Pronunciation

Meaning

Definitions

noun

  1. Understatement for rhetorical effect (especially when expressing an affirmative by negating its contrary)

    “Saying ‘I was not a little upset’ when you mean ‘I was very upset’ is an example of litotes”

noun

  1. (genetics) cell division that produces reproductive cells in sexually reproducing organisms; the nucleus divides into four nuclei each containing half the chromosome number (leading to gametes in animals and spores in plants)

In context

Example Sentences

Saying ‘I was not a little upset’ when you mean ‘I was very upset’ is an example of litotes

Similar words

Synonyms

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