adage
Americannoun
-
adages
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of adage
1540–50; < French < Latin adagium, equivalent to ad- ad- + ag- (stem of āio I say) + -ium -ium
Explanation
An adage is a saying. Moms and dads love adages such as "early to bed, early to rise" and "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." The noun adage comes from the Latin root aio, meaning "I say." Like a proverb, an adage can be true or not so much. It's a folksy saying that's been passed around for so long that it doesn't even matter if it's true anymore. Adages can be wise and wisecracking, such as this quote from Alice Roosevelt Longworth: "I've always believed in the adage that the secret of eternal youth is arrested development." There's a Book of Proverbs in the Bible, but adages can show up anywhere, even cross-stitched on a pillow.
Vocabulary lists containing adage
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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The Tragedy of Macbeth
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TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Zeldin appears to be following John Oliver’s adage that if you want to do something harmful, “put it inside something boring” to avoid public scrutiny.
From Slate ● Aug. 2, 2026
“The old adage was, ‘Oh, it’s a boutique hotel—they won’t have the service of a larger hotel,’” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
But that just reinforces Samuel Johnson’s adage that patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
Try to keep in mind the adage that “IPO” often stands for “it’s probably overpriced.”
From MarketWatch ● May 12, 2026
The scythe tried to defend himself, claiming the old adage, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” but the High Blade wasn’t buying it.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
For older Angelenos who knew Lew Wasserman, watching the travails has called to mind one of the grandfather’s adages.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 21, 2026
With commanding aphorisms and adages, Kalunga tempers Zau’s need for immediate answers.
From New York Times ● Apr. 22, 2024
Like the book, the film is filled with wise adages about why it’s important to weather the storm with friends by your side, and using vulnerability as a strength.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 1, 2023
One of the traditional adages of conservation is “Leave it be.”
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 1, 2023
“One of the oldest adages in investing is that if you’re reading about it in the paper, it’s too late,” he said.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
