| Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993. |
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| aphorism, (old) adage, apothegm, maxim, proverb, (old) saw, saying (nn.) |
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| All these overlap with one another, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot, sometimes completely. An aphorism is a short statement expressing a piece of wisdom, often wittily put. An adage is an old saying that has become accepted as a truth. An apothegm (pronounced AP-uh-THEM and also spelled apophthegm) is a terse, witty saying. A maxim is a concise statement of a principle, a truth, or a rule of conduct. A proverb is a short pithy saying, expressing a folksy truth that is widely accepted. An (old) saw is a familiar saying, much worn and sometimes distorted through long use. And a saying is almost any of these. See ADAGE; SAW (2). | 1 |
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| | | The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. Copyright © 1993 Columbia University Press. |
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