Meiosis (figure of speech)

Meiosis is a figure of speech that involves understatement, usually for rhetorical effect. It is the opposite of hyperbole, which is an exaggeration. Meiosis is often used to create irony or to downplay a situation, making it seem less important or serious than it is. For example, saying "It's just a scratch" to describe a large wound is a use of meiosis.