adage
Time-tested truism
An adage is a short, memorable saying that expresses a general truth or piece of wisdom, usually passed down through generations: the old adage about early birds and worms.
Adages tend toward the traditional and familiar—less fresh than a quip, more venerable than a catchphrase.
Short, wise expression
- maximBrief moral principle
- aphorismTerse general truth
- axiomSelf-evident starting principle
- dictumAuthoritative formal statement
precept · epigram · truism · platitude · saw · byword · apothegm · gnome
Deep perceptive understanding
- sagacityPenetrating mental acuity
- prudenceCareful, wise judgment
- discernmentKeen perception and judgment
- understandingMental comprehension of something
judgment · foresight · experience · counsel · guidance · lesson · teaching · truth
Casual conversational expression
- idiomFixed phrase, opaque meaning
- sayingShort, wise expression
- phraseWords forming partial meaning
- locutionWord or phrase choice
wording · phrasing · vernacular · formulation · parlance · figure of speech · set phrase · stock phrase
Respected due to age
- ancestralOf one's forebears
- heritageInherited cultural legacy
- venerableDeserving honor for dignity
- ancientVery old indeed
classical · olden · customary · folk · oral tradition · passed down · generational · cultural
Study of right conduct
- virtueMoral goodness or merit
- principleFundamental truth or standard
- integrityMoral soundness and consistency
- dutyRequired moral task
honor · conscience · righteousness · guidance · lesson · cautionary · instructive · didactic
saying
Short, wise expression
dictum · precept · epigram · truism · platitude · saw · byword · apothegm · gnome · motto
insight
Deep perceptive understanding
- sagacityPenetrating mental acuity
- prudenceCareful, wise judgment
- discernmentKeen perception and judgment
understanding · judgment · foresight · experience · counsel · guidance · lesson · teaching · truth · philosophy
colloquialism
Casual conversational expression
locution · wording · phrasing · vernacular · formulation · parlance · figure of speech · set phrase · stock phrase · pithy saying
time-honored
Respected due to age
ancient · classical · olden · customary · folk · oral tradition · passed down · generational · cultural · inherited
ethics
Study of right conduct
- virtueMoral goodness or merit
- principleFundamental truth or standard
- integrityMoral soundness and consistency
duty · honor · conscience · righteousness · guidance · lesson · cautionary · instructive · didactic · edifying
enduring
Persisting through time
ageless · abiding · everlasting · unchanging · universal · classic · immutable · permanent · indelible · perpetual
- proverbsproverbs, sayings, maxims, aphorisms, proverb
- brevitybrevity, concise, succinct, terse, pithy
- expressionsexpression, I love you, phrase, idioms, thank you
- folk sayingsproverb, maxim, folk saying, old saying, traditional saying
- folk wisdomproverb, folklore, folk sayings, saying, proverbs
- maximsmaxim, proverb, saying, aphorism, axiom
adageoriginal thought
Idea without precedent
innovation · neologism · original expression · coinage · creative expression
- old adageTraditional saying of wisdom