adages
Wisdom in sayings
Adages are traditional sayings that express common observations or bits of wisdom: Look before you leap, A stitch in time saves nine.
The term suggests age and familiarity—adages have been repeated enough to become proverbial.
An adage differs from a proverb mainly in emphasis: proverb stresses the folk tradition, adage the accumulated wisdom.
Traditional saying expressing truth
- aphorismTerse general truth
- maximBrief moral principle
- epigramPithy, memorable saying
- dictumAuthoritative formal statement
axiom · truism · platitude · cliché · saw · byword · motto · quip
Persisting through time
- classicOf lasting excellence
- agelessWithout apparent deterioration
- perennialRecurring each year
- abidingContinuing without change
lasting · traditional · ancient · ancestral · time-honored · generational · handed-down · age-old
proverb
Traditional saying expressing truth
dictum · axiom · truism · platitude · cliché · saw · byword · motto · quip · witticism
enduring
Persisting through time
abiding · lasting · traditional · ancient · ancestral · time-honored · generational · handed-down · age-old · venerable
insight
Deep perceptive understanding
- sagacityPenetrating mental acuity
- prudenceCareful, wise judgment
- discernmentKeen perception and judgment
judgment · foresight · acumen · perspicacity · counsel · guidance · teaching · lesson · truth · shrewdness
virtue
Moral goodness or merit
- ethicsStudy of right conduct
- principlesFoundational moral beliefs
- integrityMoral soundness and consistency
honesty · righteousness · justice · honor · decency · rectitude · character · conduct · values · conscience
- folklorefairy tales, fairytales, folktales, folk tales, folk tale
- proverbsproverbs, sayings, maxims, aphorisms, proverb
- Quotationsfamous quotes, aphorisms, maxims, epigrams, famous last words
- common sayingsproverbs, idioms, cliches, maxims, aphorisms
- expressionsexpression, I love you, phrase, idioms, thank you
- folk wisdomproverb, folklore, folk sayings, proverbs, traditional lore
adagesnovel ideas
Original, untried concepts
innovations · neologisms · inventions · breakthroughs · improvisations
adagesfalsehoods
Deliberate untruths
misconceptions · myths · fallacies · lies · misinformation
- old adageTraditional saying of wisdom