understatement

under- +‎ statement or understate +‎ -ment

understatement (usually uncountable, plural understatements)

1. (uncountable, rhetoric) A figure of speech whereby something is made to seem smaller or less important than it actually is, either through phrasing or lack of emphasis, often for ironic effect.

   Synonym: meiosis

   Antonym: hyperbole

   Hyponym: litotes

   A master of understatement

2. (countable) An instance of such phrasing or lack of emphasis.

   Hyponym: laconism

   Now that's an understatement.

3. An incomplete disclosure that intentionally withholds relevant information.

• understate

• do a lot of work

Borrowed from English understatement.

• IPA^(key): /ˌɑn.də(r)ˈsteːt.mənt/ (the realisation may approximate English pronunciation: /ər/ will often be realised as [ɚ] or [ə])

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: un‧der‧state‧ment

understatement n (plural understatements)

1. understatement

• parabool

Unadapted borrowing from English understatement.

• IPA^(key): /an.derˈstɛjt.ment/, /an.derˈstejt.ment/[1]
• Rhymes: -ɛjtment, -ejtment

understatement m (invariable)

1. understatement