apothegm
Brief wise statement
An apothegm is a short, pithy saying that expresses a general truth or principle—more pointed than a proverb, more memorable than ordinary advice.
The word sounds learned and appears mainly in literary or philosophical contexts: His speeches were full of apothegms about the nature of power.
Also spelled apophthegm.
Traditional pithy truth
- maximBrief moral principle
- dictumAuthoritative formal statement
- epigramPithy, memorable saying
- proverbTraditional saying expressing truth
axiom · precept · motto · gnome · saw · byword · truism · platitude
Concise and forceful
- terseBrief to bluntness
- conciseBriefly and clearly stated
- succinctExpressed with minimal words
- laconicBrief in expression
sententious · epigrammatic · compact · crisp · pointed · trenchant · incisive · elliptical
Ancient Chinese ethical teacher
- SenecaStoic moralist of Rome
- Marcus AureliusStoic emperor of Rome
- La RochefoucauldFrench nobleman who wrote maxims
- FranklinSurname or locality
Wilde · Twain · Bacon · Pascal · Nietzsche · Lao Tzu · sage · philosopher
Penetrating mental acuity
- insightDeep perceptive understanding
- prudenceCareful, wise judgment
- discernmentKeen perception and judgment
- profundityIntellectual or emotional depth
perspicacity · acumen · enlightenment · counsel · moral · lesson · teaching · guidance
adage
Traditional pithy truth
proverb · axiom · precept · motto · gnome · saw · byword · truism · platitude · cliché
pithy
Concise and forceful
laconic · sententious · epigrammatic · compact · crisp · pointed · trenchant · incisive · elliptical · compressed
Confucius
Ancient Chinese ethical teacher
- SenecaStoic moralist of Rome
- Marcus AureliusStoic emperor of Rome
- La RochefoucauldFrench nobleman who wrote maxims
Franklin · Wilde · Twain · Bacon · Pascal · Nietzsche · Lao Tzu · sage · philosopher · oracle
sagacity
Penetrating mental acuity
- insightDeep perceptive understanding
- prudenceCareful, wise judgment
- discernmentKeen perception and judgment
profundity · perspicacity · acumen · enlightenment · counsel · moral · lesson · teaching · guidance · truth