Adage

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈæd.ɪd͡ʒ/

Definitions

1. A traditional saying or proverb that expresses a general truth or piece of wisdom and has been passed down through generations
2. A brief, impactful expression that conveys a universal insight or truth while often reflecting cultural heritage and collective wisdom
3. A concise and memorable phrase that encapsulates a widely recognized truth or principle, often arising from cultural traditions and shared experiences

Etymology: The Latin "adagium" was a conventional saying, and English picked it up from Middle French "adage" in the Middle Ages, when the word first came into the language with its sense of an old, widely repeated proverb. Its roots lie in Latin, but the English word kept the sense of something handed down through generations rather than something newly coined. Latin "adagium" is itself the source of a more familiar English word through a later and separate route. The musical term "adagio", meaning slow and leisurely, came from Italian and was later clipped, and that clipped shape is the origin of the word's modern pronunciation pattern in English. Because both trace back to the same Latin stem, the words are linked even though they carry very different meanings today.

Synonyms: proverb, saying, maxim, aphorism, dictum