apothegm

American  

[ap-uh-them] / ˈæp əˌθɛm /

Or apophthegm

noun

1. a short, pithy, instructive saying; a terse remark or aphorism.

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apothegm British  

/ ˈæpəˌθɛm /

noun

1. a variant spelling of apophthegm

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Other Word Forms

• apothegmatic
  adjective
• apothegmatical
  adjective
• apothegmatically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of apothegm

First recorded in 1570–80; earlier apothegma, from Greek apóphthegma, equivalent to apophtheg- (variant stem of apophthéngesthai “to speak out”; apo- apo- + phthéngesthai “to speak”) + -ma noun suffix

Explanation

An apothegm is a short instructive saying that's easy to remember and sometimes even slightly witty, like "haste makes waste." An apothegm often expresses a fundamental truth or general rule. To correctly pronounce apothegm, put the accent on the first syllable and give it the short a sound, as in apple: "A-puh-them." It comes from the Greek word apophthegma, meaning "terse, pointed saying," derived from apo-, meaning "from," and phthengesthai, meaning "to utter."

Example Sentences

On Saturday, Broner apologized for his language, invoking an apothegm of his own invention.

From The New Yorker • Jan. 15, 2015

He was an apothegm slinger; he was unstoppable.

From New York Times • Jul. 22, 2012

The Philip Green approach, "done and dusted, back to the beach", is not their style, any more than his apothegm: "I want to make a profit, not be a prophet."

From The Guardian • Aug. 21, 2010

A favorite apothegm: "I love to study nature because I find on all her open pages the signature of the Creator, my Father."

From Time Magazine Archive

On reading these last words, who will not remember Cacault's apothegm, uttered in 1801: "Nations now-a-days will not allow their rulers to dispose of them in regard to religious matters."

From The Catholic World; Volume I, Issues 1-6 A Monthly Eclectic Magazine by Rameur, E.