ad·age (ād'ĭj) n. A saying that sets forth a general truth and that has gained credit through long use. See Synonyms at saying. See Usage Note at redundancy. [French, from Old French, from Latin adagium.] |
adage
a saying, often in metaphoric form, that embodies a common observation, such as "If the shoe fits, wear it,'' "Out of the frying pan, into the fire,'' or "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.'' The scholar Erasmus published a well-known collection of adages as Adagia in 1508. The word is from the Latin adagium, "proverb."
Learn more about adage with a free trial on Britannica.com.