Truthisms

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A self-evident statement of fact that is so obvious it adds little value, such as remarks that state the plainly apparent
2. An obvious truth expressed as a platitude, a remark so self-evidently correct that it sounds empty or banal
3. A trite but undeniable observation, a saying whose truth is plain to anyone yet which says very little new

Etymology: "Truthisms" is simply the plural of "truthism," a word built from "truth" and the suffix "-ism." The suffix comes from Greek "-ismos," used to form nouns of action, doctrine, or condition, and in English it often marks a saying, belief, or characteristic associated with something. Adding it to "truth" yields a term for a self-evident statement that expresses a truth in a plain, often proverbial way. The plural form follows the regular English pattern of adding "-s" to a noun ending in a consonant sound. Its meaning is clearer than its formation: a truthism is a statement so obvious that it is hard to dispute, such as a remark about how time passes or how people need one another. The compound is transparent, and the history is plain, with nothing hidden in the word's origin.

Synonyms: platitude, cliché, maxim, adage, axiom