From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Laconic \La*con"ic\, Laconical \La*con"ic*al\, a. [L. Laconicus
Laconian, Gr. ??, fr. ?? a Laconian, Laced[ae]monian, or
Spartan: cf. F. laconique.]
1. Expressing much in few words, after the manner of the
Laconians or Spartans; brief and pithy; concise; brusque;
epigrammatic. In this sense laconic is the usual form.
[1913 Webster]
I grow laconic even beyond laconicism; for sometimes
I return only yes, or no, to questionary or
petitionary epistles of half a yard long. --Pope.
[1913 Webster]
His sense was strong and his style laconic.
--Welwood.
[1913 Webster]
2. Laconian; characteristic of, or like, the Spartans; hence,
stern or severe; cruel; unflinching.
[1913 Webster]
His head had now felt the razor, his back the rod;
all that laconical discipline pleased him well.
--Bp. Hall.
Syn: Short; brief; concise; succinct; sententious; pointed;
pithy.
Usage: {Laconic}, {Concise}. Concise means without irrelevant
or superfluous matter; it is the opposite of diffuse.
Laconic means concise with the additional quality of
pithiness, sometimes of brusqueness.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Laconic \La*con"ic\, n.
Laconism. [Obs.] --Addison.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
laconic
adj 1: brief and to the point; effectively cut short; "a crisp
retort"; "a response so curt as to be almost rude"; "the
laconic reply; `yes'"; "short and terse and easy to
understand" [syn: {crisp}, {curt}, {laconic}, {terse}]
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