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 of adage

• proverb
• saying
• word
• maxim

Examples of adage in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

The film seeks the expertise of Jewish astronauts and scientists researching the dynamics of living on the moon and Mars, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and a trio of rabbis who, despite the adage, come to a general consensus rather than four separate opinions on the matter. —Josh Dinner, Space.com, 14 Dec. 2025

There is also some truth to the old adage that time heals all wounds, and Loughlin has been off-the-grid for some time now. —Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 10 Dec. 2025

And for one group of Manhattan seniors, that old adage rang true. —Kendall Malinchock, USA Today, 5 Dec. 2025

The adage — bullpens win championships — continues to ring true within the sport. —Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Nov. 2025

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