laconism

laconism — noun

1. the habit or quality of saying what you mean in very few words, without extra ex

1.名詞C2
釋義

the habit or quality of saying what you mean in very few words, without extra explanation or decoration

例句

The ancient Spartans were famous for the laconism of their replies to threats from foreign kings.

typical phrase: laconism of [someone's] replies/speech

Faisal admired the judge's laconism, which made every short sentence in her rulings feel weighty.

possessive structure: [person's] laconism

同義詞
  • terseness

    neutral; emphasises shortness more than wit or intent.

  • brevity

    broader; covers any short expression, not necessarily a deliberate style.

  • concision

    positive register; suggests carefully chosen words rather than blunt shortness.

反義詞
  • verbosity

    using many more words than needed.

  • prolixity

    very formal; tedious wordiness in writing.

用法筆記

Subject is usually a person, a writer's style, or a piece of writing/speech. Often appears as 'the laconism of X' or '[person's] laconism'. Distinguish from sense 2, which counts a single laconic phrase as a thing in itself.

常見錯誤

❌She gave me a laconism about being late.
✅She gave me a laconic reply about being late.
💡sense 1 names a style or habit, not a single utterance; for one short remark, use the adjective 'laconic' or sense 2.

2. a single short, witty remark that uses very few words to make a clear or biting

2.名詞C2
釋義

a single short, witty remark that uses very few words to make a clear or biting point

例句

When Philip of Macedon threatened Sparta, the reply 'If' became a famous laconism quoted by historians.

introduces a quoted phrase as a laconism

Rin collected the general's laconisms in a small notebook, dating each one beside the meeting it came from.

plural countable use

同義詞
  • epigram

    literary; a polished short saying, often in verse.

  • aphorism

    states a general truth; broader scope than a laconism.

  • one-liner

    informal; usually humorous, said in conversation or on stage.

用法筆記

Countable in this sense — 'a laconism', 'two laconisms'. Usually refers to a specific short utterance that can be quoted. Distinguish from sense 1, which names the overall style, not a single phrase.

常見錯誤

❌His speech was full of laconism.
✅His speech was full of laconisms.
💡sense 2 is countable; for the style itself use sense 1 without an article.