aphorism
Syllables: aph·or·i·sm/ˈæfəɹɪz(ə)m//ˈæfəˌɹɪzəm/
aphorism noun: a concise expression of a principle in an area of knowledge; an axiom, a precept.
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Noun
aphorism (plural aphorisms)
- A concise expression of a principle in an area of knowledge; an axiom, a precept.
- [K]novvledge, vvhile it is in Aphoriſmes and obſeruations, it is in grovveth [growth]; but vvhen it once is comprehended in exact Methodes; it may perchance be further polliſhed and illuſtrate, and accommodated for vſe and practiſe; but it encreaſeth no more in bulke and ſubſtance.1605, Francis Bacon, “The First Booke”, in The Twoo Bookes of Francis Bacon. Of the Proficience and Aduancement of Learning, Diuine and Humane, London: […] [Thomas Purfoot and Thomas Creede] for...
- A concise or pithy, and memorable, expression of a general truth; a maxim, a saying.
- Is not thy common talke ſound Aphoriſmes?1589–1592 (date written), Ch[ristopher] Marl[owe], The Tragicall History of D. Faustus. […], London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Thomas Bushell, published 1604, →OCLC, signature A2, verso
- '[T]is an old Aphoriſme, Oderunt omnes, quem metuunt [Everyone hates the one they fear].1642, James Howell, “Section VI”, in Instructions for Forreine Travell. […], London: […] T. B. for Humprey Mosley [i.e., Humphrey Moseley] […], →OCLC, page 85
- Synonyms:
- adage, apophthegm, apothegm, pearl of wisdom, byword, saying, saw, proverb, maxim, dictum
- The essence or heart of something.
- VVe are novv to annexe the concluſion of the ſong, […] The partes are three. […] 3. A ſentence of acclamation, the aphoriſme and iuice of the vvhole ſonge, […]1594 (date delivered), John Kinge, “The XXIX. Lectvre. [Jonah] Chap[ter] 2. Ver[se] 8, & 9.”, in Lectvres vpon Ionas, Delivered at Yorke in the Yeare of Our Lorde 1594, revised edition, Oxford...
Verb
aphorism (third-person singular simple present aphorisms, present participle aphorisming, simple past and past participle aphorismed)
- To speak or write one or more aphorisms (noun sense 2).
- Theſe paſſages diſcours'd and Aphoriſm'd at large in the Houſe; at the private Committee, divers fouler ſuſpitions and aggravations are treated vvith a greater freedom; vvhich being again vvith their ſeveral proofs reported before the vvhole Body, by the general doom he is pronounced guilty.1627 (date written), E. F. [pseudonym; Henry Cary, 1st Viscount Falkland], The History of the Life, Reign, and Death of Edward II. King of England, and Lord of Ireland. […], London: […] J. C. for...
- [T]here is no art that hath bin more canker'd in her principles, more ſoyl'd, and ſlubber'd vvith aphoriſming pedantry then the art of policie; […]1641 May, John Milton, “The Second Book”, in Of Reformation Touching Church-Discipline in England: And the Causes that hitherto have Hindred it. […], [London]: […] Thomas Vnderhill, →OCLC, page 42
aphorism meaning in Hindi, Tamil, Urdu and Bengali
aphorism in Hindi
- concise or pithy, and memorable, expression of a general truth — see also maxim, saying
- अनुभवोक्ति anubhvokti, मक़ूला maqūlā, मसल masal, नीतिवाक्य nītivākya, नीतिवचन nītivcan, सिद्धांतवाक्य siddhāntvākya
aphorism in Tamil
- பழமொழி, சூத்திரம், நுற்பா, மணிமொழி, முதுமொழி, யோகம்
aphorism in Urdu
- concise or pithy, and memorable, expression of a general truth — see also maxim, saying
- مثل, اکتی
aphorism in Bengali
- প্রবচন, সংক্ষিপ্ত নীতিবাক্য
More languagesFewer languages
- aphorism in Malayalam
- സൂക്തം, സൂക്തി, നീതിവാക്യം, സൂത്രവാക്യം
- aphorism in Kannada
- ಸೂಕ್ತಿ, ಸಾರೋಕ್ತಿ, ಸೂತ್ರ, ತತ್ವೋಕ್ತಿ
- aphorism in Tagalog
- aporismo
- aphorism in Indonesian
- aforisme
- aphorism in Thai
- คำพังเพย kam-pang-pəəi
Examples of aphorism in a sentence
- […] Exiſtence is a perfection: Firſt it is palpably plain, according to that ſenſible Aphoriſm of Solomon, Better is a living Dog then a dead Lyon.1655, Henry More, “That Existence is a Term of Perfection, and therefore Necessarily Included in the Idea of a Being Absolutely Perfect, or...
- Oppreſſion, according to Harrington [James Harrington?]'s aphoriſm, vvill be felt by thoſe that cannot ſee it; […]1750 November 20 (Gregorian calendar), Samuel Johnson, “No. [68]. Friday, November 10. 1750.”, in The Rambler, volume III, Edinburgh: [[…]...
- He was thoughtful: "Preferences define superiority," he aphorismed.1978, Vikram Kapur, The Traumatic Bite, New Delhi: Vision Books, →OCLC, page 32:
- "I've aphorismed my heart out and relationships have not improved one whit, it seems."1979, Arthur Herzog, “President AALCE”, in Glad to Be Here (His America Series; II), [United States]: [Leslie Mandel Enterprises?]...
Synonyms of aphorism
Forms of aphorism
| Noun | |
|---|---|
| plural | aphorisms |
| Verb | |
| third-person singular present | aphorisms |
| present participle | aphorisming |
| past participle | aphorismed |
| past | aphorismed |
Origin of aphorism
The noun is derived from Late Middle English amphorisme, from Middle French aphorisme, afforisme (modern French aphorisme), from Medieval Latin aphorismus, aforismus, from Ancient Greek ᾰ̓φορῐσμός (ăphorĭsmós, “limitation; distinction, separation; definition; aphorism”), from ἀφορίζω (aphorízō, “to mark off a boundary; to define, determine; to distinguish, separate; etc.”) + -μός (-mós, suffix forming abstract nouns). Ἀφορίζω (Aphorízō) is from ᾰ̓πο- (ăpo-, prefix meaning ‘away; from; off’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó (“away; off”)) + ὁρίζω (horízō, “to delimit; to define; to determine; to divide, separate; etc.”) (from ὅρος (hóros, “boundary, limit; definition, term; etc.”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *werw- (“to draw; to mark out”)) + -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō, “suffix forming similative verbs”)). The verb is derived from the noun.
Words formed from aphorism
Questions about aphorism
- What does aphorism mean?
- Aphorism means a concise expression of a principle in an area of knowledge; an axiom, a precept.
- What is aphorism in Hindi?
- Aphorism in Hindi is अनुभवोक्ति (anubhvokti), मक़ूला (maqūlā), मसल (masal). See Aphorism meaning in Hindi.
- How do you use aphorism in a sentence?
- […] Exiſtence is a perfection: Firſt it is palpably plain, according to that ſenſible Aphoriſm of Solomon, Better is a living Dog then a dead Lyon.
- What part of speech is aphorism?
- Aphorism can be a noun or a verb.
- How do you pronounce aphorism?
- Aphorism is pronounced /ˈæfəɹɪz(ə)m/ (UK).
- What is the plural of aphorism?
- The plural of aphorism is aphorisms.
Words near aphorism in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: aphorism (page history and authors); aphorism (Tamil Wiktionary) (page history and authors); aphorism (Bengali Wiktionary) (page history and authors); aphorism (Olam, E.K. Kurup corpus) (dataset and license); aphorism (Kannada Wiktionary) (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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Cite this entry: “aphorism.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/aphorism. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.