aphorism
noun
John Keegan
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.
Examples of aphorism in a Sentence
Peter Green, New York Review of Books, 15 May 2008
It doesn't take long to learn that a lie always unravels and that it always ends up making you feel royally cruddy. "Do the kind of work during the day that allows you to sleep at night" was an aphorism my grandfather was fond of.
—Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2006
The Sun twice went into journalism legend. Its city editor John Bogart is generally credited with the aphorism "When a dog bites a man, that's not news. But when a man bites a dog, that's news." And the paper delivered America's most treasured editorial in 1897, when a young girl, whose playmates had told her there was no Santa Claus, wrote and asked the Sun to tell her the truth.
—Peter Andrews, American Heritage, October 1994
Truman is remembered as much today for his aphorisms as his policies: "The buck stops here," "If you can't stand the heat stay out of the kitchen," and the like. Such slogans are endearing in a time of plastic politicians who make a career of ducking responsibilities …
—Ronald Steel, New Republic, 10 Aug. 1992
When decorating, remember the familiar aphorism, “less is more.”
what does the aphorism “Hindsight is 20/20” mean?
Michael J. De La Merced, New York Times, 4 May 2025
Apparently, Eric Musselman (not unlike his crosstown rival) has never heard of Harry Truman’s aphorism about where the buck stops.
—Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2025
Even so, virtually every one of its paragraphs contains a sensible and quotable aphorism.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 11 Feb. 2025
The book, taking the form of a fable told in short, single paragraphs, scattershot swatches of wisdom, aphorisms and illustrations, has long been a manual for how to practice togetherness in the face of extreme, oppressive opposition.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 20 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Aphorism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aphorism. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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aphorism
noun
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