laconic: [16] The Greek term for an inhabitant of the ancient region of Laconia, in the southern Peloponnese, and of its capital Sparta, was Lákōn. The Spartans were renowned for not using two words where one would do (there is a story that when Philip of Macedon threatened invasion with ‘If I enter Laconia, I will raze Sparta to the ground’, the Spartans’ only reply was ‘If’), and so English used the adjective laconic (from Greek Lakōnikós) for ‘sparing of speech’.
laconic (adj.)
"concise, abrupt," 1580s, probably via Latin Laconicus, from Greek Lakonikos, from Lakon "person from Lakonia," the district around Sparta in southern Greece in ancient times, whose inhabitants were famously proud of their brevity of speech. When Philip of Macedon threatened them with, "If I enter Laconia, I will raze Sparta to the ground," the Spartans' reply was, "If." An earlier form was laconical (1570s). Related: Laconically.
双语例句
1. Do you know the word LACONIC?
你认识“LACONIC”这个单词 吗 ?
来自英语晨读30分（初三）
2. Usually so laconic in the office, Dr. Lahey seemed less guarded, more relaxed.
平常在办公室里寡言少语的莱希医生似乎少了些拘谨，多了几分轻松。
来自柯林斯例句
3. "At least we weren't kidnapped." — "I'm glad of that," was the laconic response.
“至少咱们没被绑架。”——“对此我很庆幸，”答复就是这么简短的一句话。
来自柯林斯例句
4. A slight frown and a laconic'Yes,'were the answer.
