An aphorism is a brief saying or phrase that expresses an opinion or makes a statement of wisdom without the flowery language of a proverb. Aphorism comes from a Greek word meaning "definition." The term was first coined by Hippocrates in a work appropriately titled Aphorisms.

Aphorisms are often used to teach a lesson while speaking in plain terms. For example, “A bad penny always turns up” is an aphorism for the fact that bad people or things are bound to turn up in life. We just have to deal with them when they do. Interesting, right?

The aphorism examples below are all conveying some sort of truth in a direct, sometimes witty, manner that makes this kind of message powerful.

Two-pennies-worth meaning

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