adage

noun

ad·​age ˈa-dij How to pronounce adage (audio)
: 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."

Examples of adage in a Sentence

that old adage, “the early bird gets the worm”
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This adage from legendary UCLA coach John Wooden applies to a business environment as well as a basketball court. Ryan Lahti, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025 John Cho proving the old adage that everyone is hotter in sunglasses, James Ransone reprising elements of Ziggy Sobotka as a thrills-chasing thief, and John Mulaney losing his temper when someone misquotes Stephen Sondheim. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 May 2025 The bigger-is-better adage is one that the world’s biggest cruise lines — Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line among them — continue to embrace, as one mega-size cruise ship after another rolls down the pipeline on its way from the shipyard to the sea. CNN Money, 7 May 2025 And recognizing which adages are nothing but bunk is the first step in making sure you don’t get taken in by them. Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for adage

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of adage was in 1530

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Cite this Entry

“Adage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adage. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

adage

noun
ad·​age ˈad-ij How to pronounce adage (audio)
: an old familiar saying : proverb

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