proverbial

[pruh-vur-bee-uhl]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a proverb.

   proverbial brevity.

2. expressed in a proverb or proverbs.

   proverbial wisdom.

3. of the nature of or resembling a proverb.

   proverbial sayings.

4. having been made the subject of a proverb.

   the proverbial barn door which is closed too late.

5. having become an object of common mention or reference.

   your proverbial inability to get anywhere on time.

proverbial

/ prəˈvɜːbɪəl /

adjective

1. (prenominal) commonly or traditionally referred to, esp as being an example of some peculiarity, characteristic, etc

2. of, connected with, embodied in, or resembling a proverb

Other Word Forms

• proverbially adverb
• unproverbial adjective
• unproverbially adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of proverbial¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Latin word prōverbiālis. See proverb, -al ¹

Example Sentences

“Like the proverbial frog that doesn’t feel the water becoming increasingly hotter, many North American brands are inching into more treacherous positions with their customers’ loyalty,” Forrester Principal Analyst Pete Jacques wrote in the report.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Investors shouldn’t put all their proverbial eggs in the AI basket.

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And that likely means that AI will no longer be the proverbial tide lifting all boats in the stock market.

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“So just like that, the proverbial genie is out of the bottle and it’s on videotape that I’m going to UCLA,” Easley would recall many years later.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

From a broader perspective, sentiment is resetting quickly, which should eventually set the stage for stocks to reclimb the proverbial wall of worry.

Read more on Barron's