1. (understatement for rhetorical effect (especially when expressing an affirmative by negating its contrary)
"saying `I was not a little upset' when you mean `I was very upset' is an example of litotes")
litotes, meiosis
synonim: litota
synonim: litotes
synonim: pomniejszenie

2. (a trope that involves incongruity between what is expected and what occurs)
irony: : synonim: ironia

ANTIPHRASIS