Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Adage |
AdageNoun1. A condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "adage" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1350. (references) |
Etymology: Adage \Ad"age\, noun. [French expression adage, from the Latin expression adagium; ad the root of Latin aio say.]. (Websters 1913) |
| Domain | Definitions |
Satire | ADAGE, n. Boned wisdom for weak teeth. Source: Devil's Dictionary. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
These may be interesting observations or relationships, practical or ethical guidelines (also called rules of thumb), and even humorous parodies of physical law.
Adages often originate in popular fiction, or in Internet forums such as Usenet. One literary personage renowned for his use of adages was Sancho Panza in Miguel de Cervantes' novel Don Quixote. Through overuse, an adage may become a cliché.
Famous adages from popular fiction:
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Adage."
Synonyms: AdageSynonyms: byword (n), proverb (n), saw (n). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Maxim | Noun: maxim, aphorism; apothegm, apophthegm; dictum, saying, adage, saw, proverb; sentence, mot, motto, word, byword, moral, phylactery, protasis. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: Adage |
| English words defined with "adage": Adagial ♦ Book of Proverbs. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "adage": ABSINTHE ♦ Cat i' the Adage, Cat Proverbs ♦ FARE ♦ Grace Hopper ♦ it's a feature ♦ legal adage ♦ ZIGZAG. (references) |
| Non-English Usage: "Adage" is also a word in the following language with English translations in parentheses. French (adage, say, saying). |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | Remember the old adage, you can lead a horse to water but a pencil must be lead. (Brats; writing credit: Nat Hoffberg; Leo McCarey) | |
Movie/TV Titles | L' Adage (1964) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Speaker | Term | Phrase(s) |
Ronald Reagan | 1981-1989 | After watching the State of the Union address the other night, I'm reminded of the old adage that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| "Adage" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 97.32% of the time. "Adage" is used about 112 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 97.32% | 109 | 31,132 |
| Noun (proper) | 1.79% | 2 | 245,945 |
| Lexical Verb (base form) | 0.89% | 1 | 339,140 |
| Total | 100.00% | 112 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
Expression using "adage": legal adage. Additional references. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day |
adage | 190 |
adage old | 9 |
adage group | 3 |
proverb or adage | 2 |
adage saying | 2 |
adage famous | 2 |
adage capital | 2 |
adage capital management | 2 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Language | Translations for "adage"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Albanian | fjalë e urtë (byword, proverb, saw, saying). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arabic | مثل (act, aphorism, appear, as, be a symbol for, be typical of, byword, case, depict, describe, example, exemplify, gnome, illustrate, illustration, instance, like, like this, maxim, perform, play, play act, portray, proverb, represent, saying, sculpt, show, stand before, stand for, such, such as, symbolize, typify), قول مأثور (aphorism, byword, gnome, maxim, proverb, saw, saying). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bulgarian | пословица (byword, proverb), поговорка (dictum, proverb, saw, saying). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 言 (Aphorism, maxim). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Czech | rèení (locution, phrase, saying), prùpovìï (byword, saying), pořekadlo. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Danish | ordsprog (proverb). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | spreekwoord (proverb). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Faeroese | orðatak (proverb). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Farsi | مثل (Example, Instance, Like, Maxim, Parable, Porpoise, Proverb), امثال وحکم (Saw). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | lakikielen sanontatapa (legal adage). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | adage, proverbe. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | Sprichwort (by word, proverb, saying). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | γνωμικό (aphorism, maxim, motto, saw, saying), παροιμία (proverb, saw, saying). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hebrew | מימר" (catchword, dictum, expression, motto, phrase, proverb, saying, slogan), משל (allegory, byword, example, fable, instance, parable, proverb, saw, saying, simile, similitude), פת'ם (aphorism, byword, epigram, motto, proverb, saying). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | példabeszéd (parable, saw), bölcs mondás (proverb, wise saw). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indonesian | peribahasa (byword, maxim, proverb, vernacularism), pepatah (aphorism, proverb). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | adagio (adagio, slow). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Korean | 경구. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Manx | shenn-raa (aphorism, cliche, maxim, proverb), raa keeayllagh (aphorism, maxim), raa creeney (proverb), raa cadjin (clichщ, colloquialism, common saying, popular saying, tag saying), dooyrtiman (proverb). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Papiamen | proverbio (proverb). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | adageay przysłowie. (various references) provérbio (byword, parable, proverb, saw, saying). (various references) adagiu (saw, saying), zicalã (byword, proverb, Rede, saw, saying), proverb (byword, proverb, saw, saying), dicton (byword, dictum, saw, saying). (various references) пословица (byword, paraphrase, proverb). (various references) r dh (saying, sayinng, word). (various references) poslovica (dictum, proverb, saying), izreka (byword, dictum, phrase, saw, saying, truism, utterance). (various references) proverbio (byword, proverb), adagio (adagio, proverb). (various references) ordspråk (proverb), tänkespråk (proverb). (various references) atasözü (byword, gnome, proverb, Rede, saw, saying). (various references) старовинне прислів'я, мудрий вислів (quip), давня приказка. (various references) ngạn ngữ, châm ngôn (saying), cách ngôn (aphorism, apophthegm, apothegm, maxim, saw, sawn). (various references) dywediad (saying), dihareb (aphorism, proverb). (various references) isisho (proverb). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Language | Period | Translations |
| Latin | 500 BCE-Modern | adagium. (various references) |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "adage": adages. (additional references) | |
| |
"Adage" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: aaaagh, aag, aage, aalge, acage, adace, adade, adae, adag, adaged, adager, Adagia, adagp, adaje, Adalgar, Adamek, Adare, adarga, adate, adaze, addage, Addaie, addige, adeg, adege, Adgar, adge, adiago, Adigun, admag, admags, adoge, Adpase, adrage, Adsgey, Adygey, afage, agade, Agadez, Alagi, Aldega, amage, Anagh, Apagb, apage, arage, asage, asagi, atabe, atage, attage, audane, awag, Awangga, axage, Ayarga, bahagi, Dagaa, Dage, Dagoe, Eadgbe, Etage, idag, idago, Kawagoe, Madigbe, udag, Udeghe. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| Words rhyming with "adage" (pronounced 'Ad"age'): Abusage, Accourage, Adjustage, Alloyage, Amperage, Appendage, Arrearage, Berthage, Blindage, blockage, Boatage, Bondage, Borage, Bordage, Bossage, Breakage, Brewage, Buoyage, Burgage, Careenage, Cartage, Centage, Checkage, Chiefage, Clearage, Cloudage, Clownage, Coinage, Corage, Cordage, Corkage, Costage, Couage, Courage, Cranage, Crimpage, Cuinage, Demorage, Disusage, Dockage, Domage, Doomage, Dosage, Drainage, Drayage, Driftage, Drownage, Dumpage, Eatage, Encourage, Endamage, Envisage, Escheatage, Espousage, Expressage, Faldage, Floodage, Floorage, flowage, Foldage, Fraughtage, freightage, Frequentage, frontage, fruitage, Frutage, Fuage, Fullage, Gainage, Gaussage, Graffage, Graftage, Groundage, Guardage, Guidage, Gullage, Hallage, haulage, Helmage, herbage, Hidage, Housage, Impoundage, Indamage, Keelage, Knightage, Lastage, leafage, Liage, linage, linkage, Lochage, lockage, lovage, Manurage, Metage, mileage, mintage, mismanage, Misusage, Mockage, moorage, Paage, Package, Parage, Partage, Pavage, Peerage, Pelage, Pellage, Percentage, Pesage, Pierage, Pipage, Plantage, Plumage, Plumbage, Pollage, Postage, Prisage, Pumpage, Quayage, Recoinage, Reencourage, Rentage, reportage, Rivage, Sackage, Scavage, Scourage, Servage, Shorage, shortage, shrinkage, Smallage, soakage, socage, Soundage, Soutage, Sperage, Spousage, Stackage, Stallage, Standage, steerage, Sternage, storage, stowage, Stumpage, Sweepage, tankage, teenage, Tentage, Thanage, Thirlage, tillage, Tollage, towage, Tronage, Truage, Unusage, usage, Vaultage, Ventage, Viage, Vintage, Waftage, Wantage, Warpage, Wastage, Weftage, Weighage, Wharfage, Windage, Wreckage, Yarage. (additional references) |
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "a-a-d-e-g" | |
-1 letter: aged, egad, gaed. | |
-2 letters: aga, age, dag, gad, gae, ged. | |
-3 letters: aa, ad, ae, ag, de, ed. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-a-d-e-g" | |
+1 letter: adages, agenda, damage, gelada. | |
+2 letters: agendas, aggrade, bandage, damaged, damager, damages, drayage, gambade, garaged, geladas, gradate, managed, ravaged, savaged, yardage. | |
+3 letters: agatized, aggraded, aggrades, agitated, amygdale, arranged, assuaged, asswaged, averaged, badinage, bandaged, bandager, bandages, barraged, bigarade, cabbaged, damagers, decagram, dekagram, diallage, divagate, drainage, drayages, endamage, fanegada, gadarene, galeated, galopade, gambades, gardenia, gerardia, gladiate, gradable, gradated, gradates, graduate, grandame, gravidae, hangared, headgate, headgear, indagate, laagered, magdalen, massaged, megadeal, packaged, passaged, paygrade, rampaged, redamage, saggared, salvaged, seladang, smaragde, tallaged, yardages. | |
+4 letters: abnegated, abrogated, advantage, algaecide, amygdalae, amygdales, angulated, appendage, arraigned, arrogated, assagaied, assegaied, badinaged, badinages, bandagers, bargained, bigarades, cataloged, comanaged, decagrams, dekagrams, diagramed, diallages, disparage, divagated, divagates, drainages, endamaged, endamages, engarland, fanegadas, gabardine, gallanted, gallopade, galopades, gambadoes, gardenias, garlanded, gasconade, gerardias, glaciated, graduated, graduates, grandames, graveyard, graybeard, harangued, headgates, headgears, hydrangea, indagated, indagates, magdalene, magdalens, megadeals, megadeath, navigated, orangeade, paganised, paganized, paginated, paragoned, paygrades, quadrigae, rangeland, rearguard, redamaged, redamages, regardant, sabotaged, saddlebag, safeguard, seladangs, smaragdes, stagehand, stagnated, stargazed, stravaged, tailgated, tragedian, unbandage, undamaged, unmanaged. | |
+5 letters: advantaged, advantages, agendaless, aggrandise, aggrandize, aggravated, aggregated, agitatedly, algaecides, anagrammed, analogized, anecdotage, antedating, appendages, arbitraged, bargeboard, bemadaming, brigandage, campaigned, castigated, catalogued, chargehand, coagulated, deaerating, deflagrate, degradable, diagrammed, disarrange, disparaged, disparager, disparages, dragonhead, dramaturge, endamaging, engarlands, eradiating, escalading, gabardines, galavanted, galivanted, gallopades, galvanised, galvanized, gasconaded, gasconader, gasconades, giardiases, granulated, gratulated, graveyards, gravitated, graybeards, guaranteed, guarantied, hydrangeas, magdalenes, marginated, megadeaths, mismanaged, orangeades, propagated, quadrangle, rangelands, readapting, rearranged, redamaging, repackaged, saddlebags, safeguards, sandbagged, sandbagger, shanghaied, smaragdine, smaragdite, stagehands, stravaiged, tardigrade, teargassed, tragedians, unassuaged, unbandaged, unbandages, upgradable, vagabonded, variegated. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
Hexadecimal (or equivalents, 770AD-1900s) (references)41 64 61 67 65 |
| Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519; backwards) (references)
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| American Sign Language (origins from 1620-1817 in Italy and, especially, France) (references)
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| Semaphore (1791, in France) (references)
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| Braille (1829, in France) (references)
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Morse Code (1836) (references).- -.. .- --. . |
| Dancing Men (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1903) (references)
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Binary Code (1918-1938, probably earlier) (references)01000001 01100100 01100001 01100111 01100101 |
HTML Code (1990) (references)A d a g e |
ISO 10646 (1991-1993) (references)0041 0064 0061 0067 0065 |
| British Sign Language (Fingerspelling, BSL; 1992, British Deaf Association Dictionary of British Sign Language) (references)
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Encryption (beginner's substitution cypher): (references)3570677371 |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Quotations: Speeches 6. Usage Frequency 7. Expressions 8. Expressions: Internet | 9. Translations: Modern 10. Translations: Ancient 11. Derivations 12. Rhymes | 13. Anagrams 14. Orthography 15. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
