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aphorism

aphorism

9 7.4
A short, clever saying that shows a general truth
  • noun
  • /ˈæfərɪzəm/
translation icon : aforismo
  • The power of Kliuchesky's aphorism lies in the intellectual disquiet to which his words give rise.
  • a famous aphorism
  • an old aphorism

It's a collection of aphorisms of of of short little excerpts.

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Examples

  • Earlier that week, his teacher had taped aphorisms by Ralph Waldo Emerson on the blackboard.

    Academic text (2008)
  • We'll start off your week with a bit of simplicity and a handful of pithy aphorisms to simplify your week.

  • There is still some truth to the aphorism that politics stops at the water's edge.

    Academic text (2011)
  • I have attempted to console myself with the old Chinese aphorism: "A white diamond is proof against dirt."

    Fiction book (1996)
  • As shown by Robert Merton, the historian-sociologist, this aphorism had been expressed by others long before Newton.

    Academic text (1993)
  • Quips and aphorisms are succinct, helping an idea carry further.

  • So Quintilian's popular aphorism: "I do not live to eat, but eat to live" (IX.iii.85).

    Academic text (2001)
  • Like the story itself, aphorisms tend to assert rather than prove a viewpoint.

    Academic text (1995)
  • Another one of Marvin Minsky's aphorisms was this: "You don't really understand something if you only understand it one way."

    Academic text (2017)
  • The teacher often shares the aphorism, "Actions speak louder than words," to emphasize the importance of behavior.

Synonyms

saying
vsaphorism
201 1.7

A short well-known phrase that gives advice or a general truth

is more literary and clever rather than a simple everyday phrase
proverb
vsaphorism
37 3.9

A short well-known saying that gives advice or a general truth

is more clever or pointed than a simple traditional saying
adage
vsaphorism
32 4.2

A well-known short saying that gives advice or shows a general truth

is typically more concise and clever than a long-standing saying
old saying
vsaphorism
28 2.8

A short traditional phrase that gives advice or a general truth

is more concise and clever than a merely traditional expression
maxim
vsaphorism
15 5.5

A short, well-known saying that gives a general rule for life

is more about clever insight than giving a direct rule to follow
gnome
vsaphorism
  • Literature
11 9.9

A short, wise saying that tells a general truth

is more focused on clever phrasing than simple conciseness
saw
vsaphorism
5 6.4

A short memorable saying that gives common advice

is often more clever and original rather than a widely accepted phrase
old saw
vsaphorism
4 7.7

A common saying many people repeat that gives simple advice

is more fresh and clever rather than an overused traditional line
epigram
vsaphorism
  • Literature
3 8.0

A short clever saying or poem that makes a witty point

is more about expressing general truth than being mainly witty or amusing
byword
vsaphorism
1 7.6

A short saying that is easy to remember and expresses a general truth

is more about clever wording than being widely accepted as an example
apothegm
vsaphorism
  • Archaic
9.9

A short, clever saying that teaches a truth or gives advice

is often clever in wording rather than mainly instructive
apophthegm
vsaphorism
  • Archaic
9.9

A short, wise saying that teaches a simple truth

is more about clever phrasing than direct instruction

How Concise

epigram
  • Literature
3 8.0
aphorism
9 7.4
proverb
37 3.9
saying
201 1.7
phrase
  • Specialized
662 2.6

Surface Forms

aphorism singular
aphorisms plural

Morphology

aphorism = aphor + ism

The element 'aphor-' is a Greek combining form not a standalone English word, so learners cannot derive the meaning of 'aphorism' from familiar English components.

Etymology

Aphorism comes from Greek parts apo- 'away' and horizein 'to limit', the same root as horizon. So an aphorism is like a truth 'set apart' into a short, clear line, which is why it means a short, clever saying that expresses a general truth.