Meiosis (figure of speech)

In rhetoric, meiosis is a euphemistic figure of speech that intentionally understates something or implies that it is lesser in significance or size than it really is. Meiosis is the opposite of auxesis, and also sometimes used as a synonym for litotes. The term is derived from the Greek μειόω (“to make smaller”, "to diminish").

The scientific term of meiosis was first developed by J.B. Farmer and J.E. Moore in 1905 to describe gametic cell division—concepts researched extensively by German biologist Theodor Boveri. The process involves a reduction of chromosome number in the resulting germ cells. However, it wasn't until a few years later that maiosis was renamed “meiosis” to better embody the Greek definition, “to reduce” or “diminish”.

Meiosis typically works to diminish the importance of something or someone in order to simultaneously heighten something else in its place. Such a comparative approach is necessary for the effectiveness of the device. An example of this device occurs in the New Testament where Paul belittles himself in order to emphasize the power of God:

"For I am the least of all the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect…" (1 Corinthians 15:9-10).

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