apothegm
apothegm — noun
- apothegmsingular
- apothegmsplural
1. a short, clever sentence or phrase that states a general truth or a useful piece
a short, clever sentence or phrase that states a general truth or a useful piece of wisdom about life
Femi opened the meeting with an old African apothegm about the strength found in unity.
The writer's notebook was full of apothegms that she planned to use in her next novel.
collocation: full of apothegms
A well-known apothegm states that patience is not simply the ability to wait, but how you behave while waiting.
Grandmother's favourite apothegm—'a full cup cannot be filled'—reminded us to stay humble.
During the lecture, the professor quoted an ancient Greek apothegm that the unexamined life is not worth living.
- aphorism
the closest synonym; both words mean a short wise saying, but 'aphorism' is far more common in everyday use while 'apothegm' has a more classical or literary flavour
- maxim
a rule for good behaviour expressed in a short sentence; maxims tend to be more instructional (telling you what to do), while apothegms are more reflective
- proverb
a traditional saying that gives advice; proverbs are older and passed down through generations, whereas apothegms may be coined by a known author
- ramble
a long, unfocused piece of speech or writing — the opposite of a brief, clever saying
文法句型
apothegm + that-clause
apothegm about [topic]
用法筆記
Formal in register; far more common in written (especially literary or academic) English than in everyday conversation. The spelling variant 'apophthegm' is also used, especially in British English.