What is meiosis?

Definition
	Meiosis is the minimization of the importance of a referent by the use of an expression that is disproportionate to it.

Example (English)
	Referring to a generous gift as a small token of esteem

Concept module: meiosis
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): M
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004