proverbial

American  

[pruh-vur-bee-uhl] / prəˈvɜr bi əl /

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 British  

/ 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

• unproverbial
  adjective
• proverbially
  adverb
• unproverbially
  adverb

---

Etymology

Origin of proverbial

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

---

Explanation

If something is proverbial, it's referred to in a familiar saying. If your little brother knocks over his milk and starts crying, you might think of the proverbial spilled milk. Proverb is the root of proverbial, and it comes from the Latin word proverbium, “a common saying.” Proverbs are little stories or expressions that usually teach a lesson, like "Don't cry over spilled milk," which means "It's a waste of time to be upset about something that can't be helped." You could say to your dog, "Well, aren't you the proverbial best friend?" or tell your sister, who's dyed her hair purple, "You stick out like the proverbial sore thumb."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

proverbial

She, much like the person behind the proverbial controller, is dropped into a world quickly becoming overrun by a viral plague with no idea what to do.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026

It’s bad enough forcing teams to fly eight or nine hours to Europe but this Australian game takes the proverbial cake.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026

In many Kalshi trades, customers are going up against the proverbial house.

From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026

He also says it’s good to get down to the proverbial factory floor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

So why should they not meet in the proverbial secrecy of their society?

From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---