Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.
UNDERSTATEMENT
Rhetorically the opposite of hyperbole, understatement provides less information than might be warranted; it is an intentional lack of force in expression. It has therefore an air of modesty and self-effacement, yet it frequently stems from confidence: those secure in their views need not bluster or shout. See also DOUBLE NEGATIVE; HYPERBOLIC; LITOTES.
