apothegm
/ˈæ.pə.θɛm/ noun
Also a form of apophthegm
Forms apothegms apophthegm
Synonyms
byword saying adage saw proverb maxim apophthegm dictum gnome gnomic saying mantra paroemia aphorism
Etymology
From French apophthegme or Medieval Latin apothegma, from Ancient Greek ἀπόφθεγμα (apóphthegma), from ἀποφθέγγομαι (apophthéngomai, “speak out”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun A short, pithy, and instructive saying; a terse remark, conveying some important truth; a sententious precept or maxim.
Etymology [Gr. Defn: A short, pithy, and instructive saying; a terse remark, conveying some important truth; a sententious precept or maxim. Note: [Apothegm is now the prevalent spelling in the United States.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “apothegm”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details