aphorism
Other forms: aphorisms
Use the noun aphorism when you have something compact and astute to say, such as "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."
An aphorism is a statement or saying that is both efficiently presented and either witty or wise. While there are loads of trite and silly statements, a good aphorism is supposed to stand the test of time and remain true and elegant — a very difficult task! Friedrich Schlegel even wrote an aphorism about aphorisms: "An aphorism ought to be entirely isolated from the surrounding world like a little work of art and complete in itself like a hedgehog."
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a short pithy instructive sayingsynonyms: apophthegm, apothegm
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Vocabulary Shout-Out: Azam Ahmed for "Aphorism"
Vocabulary lists containing aphorism
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