proverb Hear it!

proverb definition

prov·erb (präv′ərb)

noun

  1. a short, traditional saying that expresses some obvious truth or familiar experience; adage; maxim
  2. a person or thing that has become commonly recognized as a type of specified characteristics; byword
  3. Bible an enigmatic saying in which a profound truth is cloaked

Etymology: OFr proverbe < L proverbium < pro-, pro- + verbum, word: see verb

transitive verb

Archaic to make a proverb or byword of

Etymology: ME prouerben

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.
Related Discussions (1)
TopicRepliesLatest Post
Spanish Proverb76 years ago

Browse Forums