adage

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈædɪdʒ/ UK /ˈædɪdʒ/ See IPA manual

noun

Meanings

1

noun
a short, traditional saying expressing a general truth

The old adage 'look before you leap' proved wise advice.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a short, traditional saying... proverb maxim saying aphorism saw axiom dictum

Etymology

From Middle French adage, from Latin adagium ('proverb'), apparently from ad- ('to') + an element related to aio ('I say'), from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₁eǵ- ('to say').

adagium Latin *h₁eǵ- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

# adage

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** ˈædɪdʒ
**IPA (UK):** ˈædɪdʒ

## Meanings
1. a short, traditional saying expressing a general truth

## Examples
- The old adage 'look before you leap' proved wise advice.

## Synonyms
- proverb
- maxim
- saying
- aphorism
- saw
- axiom
- dictum

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: adagium
- Root: *h₁eǵ-

## Etymology
From Middle French adage, from Latin adagium ('proverb'), apparently from ad- ('to') + an element related to aio ('I say'), from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₁eǵ- ('to say').

## AI Etymology
Adage is a noun meaning "a short, traditional saying expressing a general truth". Historically, it is from Middle French adage, from Latin adagium ('proverb'), apparently from ad- ('to') + an element related to aio ('I say'), from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₁eǵ- ('to say'). The visible construction is part of the etymology: adage is not just an unanalyzed simple word. The historical chain links Latin adagium with Proto-Indo-European *h₁eǵ-.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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