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View synonyms for aphorism

aphorism

[ af-uh-riz-uhm ]

noun

  1. a terse saying embodying a general truth, or astute observation, as “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” (Lord Acton).


aphorism

/ ˈæfəˌrɪzəm /

noun

  1. a short pithy saying expressing a general truth; maxim
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


aphorism

  1. A concise and often witty statement of wisdom or opinion, such as “Children should be seen and not heard,” or “People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.”


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Derived Forms

  • ˈaphorist, noun
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Other Words From

  • apho·rismic aph·o·ris·mat·ic [af-, uh, -riz-, mat, -ik], adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of aphorism1

1520–30; French aphorisme < Late Latin aphorismus < Greek aphorismós definition, equivalent to aphor ( ízein ) to define ( aphorize ) + -ismos -ism
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Word History and Origins

Origin of aphorism1

C16: from Late Latin aphorismus, from Greek aphorismos definition, from aphorizein to define, set limits to, from horos boundary
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Example Sentences

Contrary to what the current culture of “hacks,” quick fixes, and aphorisms like move fast and break things would have you think, progress is often slow, and that’s okay.

From Time

Over the rest of his life, the list — a mixture of proverbs, aphorisms, jokes and clever quotations — grew into a lengthy compendium known as “Rumsfeld’s Rules.”

As an oft-quoted statistical aphorism goes, “All models are wrong, but some are useful.”

An American football coach tasked with running a British Premier League soccer team, Ted meets fans and players’ jeers with can-do aphorisms and basic human decency.

From Time

He’s in his late 70s so he often speaks in aphorisms straight out of Mayberry USA.

We must disabuse ourselves of this perhaps half-ironic but still telling aphorism.

He left the crowd with a Greek aphorism—“to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world.”

Thus my aphorism of the week: trying to contain damage only does more damage.

He defines Dynamic Inaction with one pithy aphorism: “When in doubt, mumble; when in trouble, delegate; when in charge, ponder.”

He utters the aphorism in immaculate French, and judging from an overheard phone call, his Italian is almost as good.

The well-worn aphorism of the Frenchman, “History repeats itself,” was about to assert itself.

Part of the first aphorism of Hippocrates is—Ὁ βίος βραχύς, ἡ δὲ τέχνη μακρή.

"Hit's the pore house fer a cow hand," was his terse aphorism on the subject, and Landy had never seen a "fitten" poor house.

Paragraphs sometimes close with a shorter statement of the proposition, a sort of aphorism or epigram.

For each or either of these extra-scriptural Articles of Faith the preceding Aphorism supplies a safe criterion.

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aphonicaphorist