laconic

Advancedzipf 2.39

Pronunciation

/ləˈkɒnɪk/(luh-KON-ik)

Part of speech

adjectiveformal

Chinese

言简意赅的；惜字如金的（用极少的话表达）

Definition

Using very few words; brief and to the point.

Word family

  • laconically/ləˈkɒnɪkəli/(adv)简洁地

Collocations

  • laconic reply
  • laconic style
  • laconic wit
  • laconic manner

Examples

  1. 1.His laconic response was simply "No." (extremely brief)
  2. 2.She has a laconic writing style that wastes no words. (efficiently brief)

Synonyms

  • terse/tɜːs/— brief, can sound rude
  • succinct/səkˈsɪŋkt/— concise, positive
  • pithy/ˈpɪθi/— brief but meaningful

Etymology

from Laconia (Sparta) — Spartans were famous for blunt, short replies. When Philip II threatened "If I invade Laconia, I shall turn you out," the Spartans replied with one word: "If."