understatement etymology

Etymology

• Under (below) + state (condition)

Meaning

An understatement is a statement that deliberately expresses less than the truth.

Origin

The term "understatement" has been in use since the early 17th century. It comes from the combination of the words "under" and "state," where "under" denotes something less than the expected or literal meaning and "state" refers to the condition or situation being described.

In the 1620s, the term was primarily used in legal contexts to describe a situation where something was stated to be less than it actually was. By the mid-17th century, however, the usage had expanded to include the more general sense of expressing something less than the truth or reality.

Examples of Understatements

• "It's a little chilly outside." (when it's freezing cold)
• "I'm not a big fan of this new movie." (when you really hate it)
• "The situation is not ideal." (when it's a complete disaster)

understatement relate terms

• statement

  Etymology Derived from the Latin words stare to stand and mentum mind Meanin

• state

  Etymology The word state comes from the Latin word status which means condition or

• under

  Etymology Meaning Origin Etymology refers to the study of the history and origin of wor

• understand

  Etymology is the study of the origin and history of words It involves tracing the develop

• fulsome

  Etymology Origin Mid 17th century from Middle French folsom denoting something that f

• enough

  Etymology Enough comes from the Middle English inowh which evolved from the Old Eng

• meiosis

  Etymology The word meiosis comes from the Greek word μείωσις meiosis which m

• testament

  Etymology The word testament is derived from the Latin testāmentum which literally

• prevail

  Etymology Origin Latin praevalere Literal meaning to be stronger Root prae

• fiction

  Etymology The word fiction derives from the Latin word fictio which means somethin

• thalamus

  Etymology The term thalamus comes from the Ancient Greek word θάλαμος thalamos

• ampersand

  Etymology The ampersand symbol amp is a ligature a combination of two or more lette

• collateral

  Etymology The word collateral is derived from the Latin word collateralis which mean

• interview

  Etymology Interviu is derived from the French word entrevue which literally means