| litotes |
| Definition: Strengthening or weakening a statement by denying its opposite. |
| Example:
He was no ordinary John Doe
(i.e., He was an extraordinary John Doe) |
| Etymology: The word derives from the Greek litos, small or meagre. |
| Oxford English Dictionary: The word's first reference is from 1657; however, its first example citation is from 1727: "The litotes or diminution, [is the peculiar talent] of ladies, whisperers, and backbiters." (Pope, etc. Art of Sinking 115) |