laconic

• laconick (obsolete)

From Latin Lacōnicus (“Spartan”), from Ancient Greek Λακωνικός (Lakōnikós, “Laconian”). Laconia was the region inhabited and ruled by the Spartans, who were known for their brevity in speech.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ləˈkɒnɪk/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ləˈkɑnɪk/

• Audio (US):

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• Audio (General Australian):

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• Rhymes: -ɒnɪk

laconic (comparative more laconic, superlative most laconic)

1. (of speech or writing) Communicative through the use of as few words as possible.

   Synonyms: terse, succinct, concise, pithy, lapidary

   Antonyms: verbose, prolix, loquacious, long-winded, bombastic

   Near-synonym: brief

2. (of speakers or writers) Communicating through the use of as few words as possible.

   Antonyms: talkative, chatty, verbose, prolix, loquacious, long-winded, bombastic

   Near-synonyms: taciturn, untalkative, terse, quiet, spartan

   • August 17, 1736, Alexander Pope, letter to Jonathan Swift:

     I grow laconick even beyond laconicism; for sometimes I return only yes, or no, to questionary or petitionary epistles of half a yard long.

   • 1738, Zachary Grey, An Attempt towards the Character of the Royal Martyr King Charles I:

     His sense was strong and his style laconic.

3. (Australia, sometimes proscribed, of a person) Laidback; casual; not intense.
   • 2022 June 15, Donal Wilson, “Mid-season review: Brisbane Lions”, in Roar‎^[1]:

     A key player up the other end of the ground is Harris Andrews, who sometimes gets unfairly criticised for his laconic playing style. He desperately cares for this team.

• cloacin, calocin, concial, conical, calcino, colanic

Borrowed from French laconique.

laconic m or n (feminine singular laconică, masculine plural laconici, feminine/neuter plural laconice)

1. laconic