proverb

proverb — noun

1. a short, well-known saying that states a general truth or offers practical guida

1.nounB1
Definition

a short, well-known saying that states a general truth or offers practical guidance, typically one handed down over many generations within a culture

Example

The teacher explained the proverb 'Don't count your chickens before they hatch' to curious students.

collocation: explain + proverb for teaching context

When Lin felt discouraged about English, her father quoted a Chinese proverb: a thousand-mile journey starts with one step.

quotation after quote + proverb + colon pattern for encouragement

Common collocations
  • old proverb
  • ancient proverb
  • as the proverb says
  • proverb goes
  • proverb reminds us
  • folk proverb
  • Chinese proverb
  • African proverb
Synonyms
  • saying

    more general than proverb; can refer to any common expression without requiring it to give advice or state a truth

  • maxim

    expresses a rule of conduct or principle; more formal and less likely to be tied to folk tradition

  • adage

    slightly formal synonym for an old, widely accepted proverb; often implies long-standing wisdom

  • aphorism

    a concise, clever statement of a truth; usually attributed to a specific writer or thinker rather than anonymous folk tradition

Grammar Patterns

proverb + says/goes/reminds

as the + proverb + goes/says

there is a + proverb + that-clause

Usage Note

Proverbs are typically quoted in the present tense because they express timeless truths. Common introductory patterns include 'as the proverb says/goes' and 'there is a proverb that states…'.

Common Mistakes

The proverb said that haste makes waste.
The proverb says that haste makes waste.
Proverbs are nearly always quoted in the present tense, even if centuries old.

proverb — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe short, memorable expressions of a truth or principle, but they differ in register and origin. 'Saying' is the broadest and most everyday term — any common phrase people repeat, such as 'better late than never.' 'Proverb' (the headword) is more specific: it implies anonymous folk wisdom handed down across generations and often carries cultural or practical advice. 'Maxim' suggests a personal rule of conduct, sometimes attributed to a historical figure (e.g., 'look before you leap' as a maxim of caution). 'Adage' is slightly formal and implies a very old, widely accepted truth, often weightier than a casual saying ('time heals all wounds'). 'Aphorism' is the most intellectual and writerly — it is a clever, often witty statement of a truth, usually traceable to a named author (e.g., Oscar Wilde's 'experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes'). In daily conversation, 'proverb' and 'saying' are the most natural choices.

saying ↗maxim ↗adageaphorism

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • proverbially

Phrases

  • as the proverb says
  • as the proverb goes
  • the proverb has it

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Proverb comes from the Latin word proverbium, which combines pro- ('forth, publicly') and verbum ('word'). The literal idea is 'a word put forth' for everyone to use — a common saying that circulates openly. The word entered English by way of Old French proverbe during the Middle Ages.