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laconian
/ləˈkoʊni.ən/
concise and to the point
His laconian responses made it hard to understand his true feelings.
His brief and direct answers made it difficult to grasp his emotions.
literary
Characterized by brevity and conciseness in speech or writing
The philosopher was known for his laconian style, often conveying deep thoughts in just a few words.
The philosopher was famous for his concise way of speaking, expressing profound ideas in minimal words.
Derived from the ancient Spartans, known for their terse communication style.
Collocations
laconian stylea way of speaking or writing that uses very few wordslaconian responsea brief and direct answer
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Usage in literature
This word is often used to describe the writing style of certain authors or philosophers who prefer minimalism.
Gold Rule
Avoid overuse
While 'laconian' can be a useful descriptor, overusing it may make your writing seem overly formal or pretentious.
Word Origin
From Latin 'Laconicus', from Greek 'Lakōnikos', meaning 'of or relating to Laconia' (a region in ancient Greece known for the Spartans' brief speech).
Usage Notes
Often used to describe speech or writing that is intentionally brief and to the point, sometimes to the extent of seeming abrupt or cold.
Word Breakdown
Lacon-
relating to Laconia (ancient Sparta)
root-ian
pertaining to
suffixEnglish Dictionary