gnomic

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   expressed in a short, mysterious way that seems wise but is difficult to understand

   Her gnomic reply left everyone unsure of her intentions.

2. 2
   adj

   expressing a general truth in the concise form of an aphorism or maxim

   The poem ends with a gnomic warning about pride.

Appears in

From Greek gnōmikos, ‘sententious or aphoristic,’ from gnōmē, ‘thought, judgment, or maxim.’ Its modern sense developed from the compressed, often obscure character of proverbial sayings; it is unrelated to the mythical creature called a gnome.

Topics

External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary