proverbial

adjective

pro·​ver·​bi·​al prə-ˈvər-bē-əl 

1

: of, relating to, or resembling a proverb

2

: that has become a proverb or byword : commonly spoken of

the proverbial smoking gun

proverbially

prə-ˈvər-bē-ə-lē 

adverb

Examples of proverbial in a Sentence

Insanity roamed through her large midwestern tribe, cloistered in proverbial dark closets in gabled houses in areas of the country where no one else lived for miles and miles … —Lynne Tillman, Motion Sickness, 1991

I keep running across people who speak fondly about what they imagine to be the comforts of autocracy, who long for the assurances of the proverbial man on the white horse likely to do something hard and puritanical about the moral relativism that has made a mess of the cities, the schools, and prime-time television. —Lewis H. Lapham, Harper's, November 1990

Recent Examples on the Web

Over the span of a 41 year career, Houston climbed the proverbial ladder, becoming the company's president in 2014 and picking up the additional title of CEO in 2015. — Norah Judson, Des Moines Register, 9 July 2026

The addition of Jaylen Brown increases their overall ceiling to the point of making a potential James addition the proverbial icing on the cake, rather than a true necessity. — Tony Jones, New York Times, 7 July 2026

From a mode standpoint, the team put its proverbial foot into the depth of Dynasty mode. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026

Largely, this is a group of people that is either no longer driving, or on the cusp of hanging up its proverbial keys for good. — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 1 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

see proverb entry 1

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for proverbial

• adverbial

Kids Definition

proverbial

adjective

pro·​ver·​bi·​al prə-ˈvər-bē-əl 

1

: of, relating to, or resembling a proverb

proverbial wisdom

2

: commonly spoken of

the proverbial beginner's luck

proverbially

-bē-ə-lē 

adverb