saying
Americannoun
idioms
noun
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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One Idea, Part 2
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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.
And KBJ is at the top of the mountain saying: No, we really don’t.
From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026
Her phone makes all sorts of sounds while she’s working out on the court, ending with the text: “Guess everybody heard the news,” and her saying, “I gotta change my number.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026
A huge red, white and blue sign saying "UFC Freedom 250" greets visitors and a similar logo appears on video screens attached to the side of the arena.
From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026
She’s described her role as listening to Musk, reading his intentions and trying to make his vision a reality, even “if what he is saying seems crazy initially,” according to Isaacson.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026
And without my ever saying anything, I knew she understood all my own fears, about Papi, about the bombers that might come any day now, about the war.
From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo
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.
