saying
Americannoun
idioms
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of saying
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English (gerund); see say 1, -ing 1
Explanation
A short, common, and easy-to-remember phrase is a saying. When class ends right before your turn to give a speech, you might use the saying, "Saved by the bell!" A saying is basically the same as an aphorism, an adage, or a proverb, usually offering some kind of wisdom. If you accidentally break your sister's favorite teacup, you might think of the saying "To err is human, to forgive divine," which means that everyone makes mistakes but only truly remarkable people are able to forgive these mistakes. You should probably also remind yourself of the saying, "Honesty is the best policy."
Vocabulary lists containing saying
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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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.
Mel B simply celebrated with saying: "Zigazig ahhhh Yipppeeee".
From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026
Ali Vaez, the Iran project director at the International Crisis Group, doubted a return to all-out war, saying that Trump was aware that such an escalation carried major economic and military costs.
From Barron's • Jul. 8, 2026
These are grown people saying that, isn’t that nice?”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026
Once the new system is in place, eligible taxpayers will get a notice saying they received the relief.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 8, 2026
“So are you saying that you feel like you don’t have a choice?”
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
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.
