Word of the Day
: January 2, 2009aphorism
playWhat It Means
1 : a concise statement of a principle
2 : a terse formulation of a truth or sentiment : adage
aphorism in Context
Through his work as a radio broadcaster, Ted has entertained countless listeners with his feel-good stories and his pithy, down-home aphorisms.
Did You Know?
"Aphorism" was originally used in the world of medicine. Credit Hippocrates, the Greek physician regarded as the father of modern medicine, with influencing our use of the word. He used "aphorismos" (a Greek ancestor of "aphorism" meaning "definition" or "aphorism") in titling a book outlining his principles on the diagnosis and treatment of disease. That volume offered many examples that helped to define aphorism, beginning with the statement that starts the book's introduction: "Life is short, Art long, Occasion sudden and dangerous, Experience deceitful, and Judgment difficult." English speakers originally used the term mainly in the realm of the physical sciences, but eventually broadened its use to cover principles in other fields.
