adage

noun

ad·​age ˈa-dij 

: a saying often in metaphorical form that typically embodies a common observation

She reminded him of the adage: "A penny saved is a penny earned."

Synonyms

• aphorism
• apothegm
• byword
• epigram
• maxim
• proverb
• saw
• saying
• sententia
• word

Examples of adage in a Sentence

that old adage, “the early bird gets the worm”

Recent Examples on the Web

If there’s no honor among thieves, as the adage says, that goes double in crypto. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024

What’s happening with PDI—and with corporate-bond funds in general—proves the old adage that one man’s junk is, indeed, another’s treasure. —Michael Foster, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

The adage that great success requires a dash of boldness is true. —Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2024

His words played off an old adage by the screenwriter William Goldman. —Daniel Bessner, Harper's Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024

Leaning on the classic adage to bring home the critical point. —Simi Thambi​, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024

There is an adage in Hollywood that actors want to win awards to boost their egos, whereas directors want to win awards to boost their budgets. —Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2024

The old adage 'What gets measured gets managed' is applicable here. —Dasha Shunina, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024

Listening to you vent about life and offering reassuring adages to get you through the day. —Morgan Korn, ABC News, 21 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French, borrowed from Latin adagiō, adagium, from ad- ad- + ag-, base of aiō, āiō "(I) say" (going back to *ag-i̯ō, going back to an Indo-European verb stem *h₂eǵ-i̯e- "say") + -ium, deverbal noun suffix; akin to Greek ê "(s/he) spoke," án-ōga "(I) command," Armenian asem "(I) say," Tocharian B āks- "announce, proclaim"

Note: The Latin form is possibly adāgiō; the lack of vowel reduction in the second syllable is otherwise unexplained. Michiel de Vaan, Etymological Dictionary of Latin (Brill, 2008), believes that the base is not aiō, but rather adigō, "I drive/thrust/plunge into, force, impel." Semantically, this is not compelling, and does not in any case solve the problem of the second syllable. On the other hand, the lack of attestation for aiō with any prefixes aside from this noun is striking.

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

adage

noun

ad·​age ˈad-ij 

: an old familiar saying : proverb