proverbs
Traditional pithy sayings
Proverbs are short, memorable sayings that express common wisdom or practical truths: Too many cooks spoil the broth, A stitch in time saves nine.
They tend to be old, passed down through generations, and often employ rhyme or parallel structure to aid memory.
A proverb typically offers advice or observation about human nature rather than literal fact.
As the proverb goes, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. (Capitalized Proverbs is a book of the Bible.)
Traditional narrative passed down
- fableMoral tale with animals
- parableInstructive allegorical narrative
- legendUnverified traditional tale
- mythTraditional explanatory tale
lore · oral tradition · storytelling · allegory · tale · anecdote · riddle · ballad
Penetrating mental acuity
- insightDeep perceptive understanding
- prudenceCareful, wise judgment
- discernmentKeen perception and judgment
- foresightAbility to anticipate futures
commonsense · judgment · understanding · philosophy · enlightenment · counsel · guidance · experience
Unit of teaching
- moralConcerning right conduct
- preceptRule governing behavior
- instructionGuidance for action
- guidanceAdvice for decisions
counsel · admonition · warning · advice · principle · ethic · tenet · rule
Traditional pithy truth
- maximBrief moral principle
- sayingShort, wise expression
- aphorismTerse general truth
- axiomSelf-evident starting principle
truism · dictum · precept · apothegm · epigram · saw · motto · byword
Inherited cultural legacy
- customsTraditional practices or import taxes
- traditionsLong-established customs passed down
- ethosCollective moral character
- beliefsAccepted truths, personal
values · ancestry · elders · oral history · indigenous · communal · generational · tribal
folktale
Traditional narrative passed down
- fableMoral tale with animals
- parableInstructive allegorical narrative
- legendUnverified traditional tale
myth · lore · oral tradition · storytelling · allegory · tale · anecdote · riddle · ballad · saga
sagacity
Penetrating mental acuity
- insightDeep perceptive understanding
- prudenceCareful, wise judgment
- discernmentKeen perception and judgment
foresight · commonsense · judgment · understanding · philosophy · enlightenment · counsel · guidance · experience · sapience
lesson
Unit of teaching
- moralConcerning right conduct
- preceptRule governing behavior
- instructionGuidance for action
guidance · counsel · admonition · warning · advice · principle · ethic · tenet · rule · guideline
adage
Traditional pithy truth
axiom · truism · dictum · precept · apothegm · epigram · saw · motto · byword · gnome
heritage
Inherited cultural legacy
- customsTraditional practices or import taxes
- traditionsLong-established customs passed down
- ethosCollective moral character
beliefs · values · ancestry · elders · oral history · indigenous · communal · generational · tribal · village
- cultural heritagefolklore, traditions, customs, folk music revival, museum collections
- folklorefairy tales, fairytales, folktales, folk tales, folk tale
- proverbssayings, maxims, adages, aphorisms, actions speak louder than words
- common sayingsidioms, cliches, maxims, adages, aphorisms
- grandma's wisdomsayings, adages, maxims, life lessons, old wives tales
- informal knowledgefolk wisdom, old wives tales, hearsay, gossip, rumors
proverbstreatises
Formal scholarly compositions
dissertations · essays · discourses · monographs · theses
- proverbial wisdomKnowledge in traditional sayings
- old proverb
- ancient proverbsVenerable traditional sayings
- traditional proverbsTime-tested folk sayings
- proverbial sayingsTraditional expressions of wisdom
- African proverbsTraditional African sayings