proverb
Americannoun
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a short popular saying, usually of unknown and ancient origin, that expresses effectively some commonplace truth or useful thought; adage; saw.
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a wise saying or precept; a didactic sentence.
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a person or thing that is commonly regarded as an embodiment or representation of some quality; byword.
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Bible. a profound saying, maxim, or oracular utterance requiring interpretation.
verb (used with object)
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to utter in the form of a proverb.
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to make (something) the subject of a proverb.
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to make a byword of.
noun
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a short, memorable, and often highly condensed saying embodying, esp with bold imagery, some commonplace fact or experience
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a person or thing exemplary in respect of a characteristic
Antarctica is a proverb for extreme cold
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ecclesiast a wise saying or admonition providing guidance
verb
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to utter or describe (something) in the form of a proverb
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to make (something) a proverb
Synonym Usage
Proverb, maxim are terms for short, pithy sayings. A proverb is such a saying popularly known and repeated, usually expressing simply and concretely, though often metaphorically, a truth based on common sense or the practical experience of humankind: “A stitch in time saves nine.” A maxim is a brief statement of a general and practical truth, especially one that serves as a rule of conduct or a precept: “It is wise to risk no more than one can afford to lose.”
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of proverb
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English proverbe, from Middle French, from Latin prōverbium “adage,” equivalent to prō- pro- 1 + verb(um) word + -ium -ium
Explanation
If your Aunt Nellie is fond of sayings like "All's well that ends well," and "A penny saved is a penny earned," then she's a proverb expert. A proverb is a short, catchy phrase that expresses a true or useful idea. Most proverbs have been around long enough, and endlessly repeated, that they are commonly seen as telling an important truth. People tend to use proverbs to give advice, the way you might say "practice makes perfect" to encourage your little brother to keep trying when he's learning to ride a bike. The Latin root proverbium combines the prefix pro with verbium, which together mean a word that you put forward, or a common saying.
Vocabulary lists containing proverb
Refugee
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Home of the Brave
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Other Words for Home
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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:
I thought of the African proverb that says, “It takes a village to raise a child.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026
But if you invest for the long term, recognize that the economic sectors poised to grow more than average are those that help people become, as the old proverb has it, healthy, wealthy and wise.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 27, 2026
The president quoted a Chinese proverb: "Range far your eye over long distances".
From BBC ● Jan. 29, 2026
It may be recalling the old proverb: Fool me once, shame on you.
From Barron's ● Jan. 18, 2026
As the proverb tells us, “Speech is silver, silence is golden.”
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
"I want to tell stories about our places and histories, our proverbs, folklore and poetry," he says.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2025
She recounted one of her late husband’s favorite Irish proverbs: Under the shelter of one another, people live.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 15, 2025
His lyrics are different from Chinese rappers who try to compete in the complexity of their rhymes, often using chengyu, four-character literary proverbs.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 5, 2024
Asked about what appeared to be a ban on coverage of him on state media, Prigozhin used a series of Russian proverbs to poke fun at those responsible: "What is forbidden is always sweeter."
From Reuters ● May 28, 2023
The historian David Arkush once compared Russian and Chinese peasant proverbs, and the differences are striking.
From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
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.
