laconism

laconism — noun

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

1.nounC2
Definition

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

Example

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

Common collocations
  • famous for [one's] laconism
  • the laconism of [a reply / speech / style]
Synonyms
  • 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.

Antonyms
  • verbosity

    using many more words than needed.

  • prolixity

    very formal; tedious wordiness in writing.

Usage Note

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.

Common Mistakes

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.nounC2
Definition

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

Example

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

Common collocations
  • a famous laconism
  • quote / record / collect laconisms
Synonyms
  • 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.

Usage Note

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.

Common Mistakes

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.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe saying or writing little, but they differ in tone and what is being praised. 'Brevity' is the most neutral and most common — any short text or speech can show brevity, regardless of style or intent. 'Concision' is positive: it praises careful editing, the sense that every word has been weighed. 'Terseness' is shorter still, but often carries a hint of bluntness or even rudeness — a terse reply can sound cold. 'Laconism' is the most literary and the most specific: it suggests a deliberate Spartan-style economy, where a single short remark can carry weight or bite. A teacher might praise a student's brevity in an essay, but reserve 'laconism' for the kind of pointed one-liners ancient generals were famous for.

laconism ↗brevity ↗tersenessconcision

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • famous for [one's] laconism
  • a kind of laconism

Prepositions

  • laconism of
  • laconism in

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

From Greek 'Lakōnismós', meaning 'a Spartan manner', based on 'Lákōn', the name for an inhabitant of Laconia, the region of Sparta. The ancient Spartans were known across the Greek world for replying to threats and questions in only a few words, and the noun was coined to label that habit. The word entered English in the late 1500s, via French and Latin, and has kept its strongly literary feel.