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aphorisms

Meanings
  • noun

    A concise, memorable statement that expresses a general truth or a philosophical insight.

    - "An aphorism is a sentence that defines a general truth."
    - "The ancient Greek philosopher Hesiod is famous for his aphorisms."
Variants
List of all variants of aphorisms that leads to same result
aphorism , aphorisms , aphorist , aphoristic , aphoristically , aphorists
Etymology
origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

The word 'aphorism' comes from the Greek word 'aphorizein', which means 'to separate' or 'to set apart'. In ancient Greece, aphorisms were seen as wise sayings that were set apart from everyday speech and were worth remembering.

Trivia
Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word

  1. The longest known aphorism is attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Epictetus, who wrote: 'Men are disturbed not by things, but by the principles and opinions which they form concerning things.'

  2. The shortest known aphorism is 'A.', attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Zeno of Elea.

Related Concepts
informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to

  1. Proverbs: Proverbs are similar to aphorisms, but they often contain a moral lesson or a piece of advice. Aphorisms, on the other hand, are more general and can be seen as statements of truth or philosophical insights.

  2. Maxims: Maxims are similar to aphorisms, but they are more specific and often relate to a particular field or subject. For example, a maxim in the field of law might be 'innocent until proven guilty'.

Quotes
Quotes by authors and personalities

  1. 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,{it}Newsweek{/it},6 Mar. 2006

  2. Confronted by a broadminded, witty, and tolerant cosmopolitan, for whom the infinite varieties of human custom offered a source of inexhaustible fascination, Thucydides presented himself as a humorless nationalist, an intellectual given to political "aphorisms" and abstract generalizations.

    - Peter Green,{it}New York Review of Books{/it},15 May 2008

  3. 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,{it}American Heritage{/it},October 1994

  4. 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,{it}New Republic{/it},10 Aug. 1992
Culture
Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

Aphorisms have been used in various cultures and literary traditions throughout history. In ancient Greece, they were used by philosophers such as Hesiod, Solon, and Epictetus. In China, there is a long tradition of aphoristic literature, known as 'chuang-tzu'. In the West, famous collections of aphorisms include those of the ancient Romans, such as Seneca and Marcus Aurelius, and of modern writers such as Francis Bacon and Mark Twain.

How to Memorize "aphorisms"

  1. visualize

    - To memorize an aphorism, try visualizing a scene or image that represents the meaning of the aphorism. For example, to remember the aphorism 'a stitch in time saves nine', you might imagine a leaking roof that needs to be fixed before it causes more damage.

  2. associate

    - To memorize an aphorism, try associating it with a personal experience or memory. For example, to remember the aphorism 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away', you might think of a time when you felt healthy and strong after eating an apple.

  3. mnemonics

    - To memorize an aphorism, try using a mnemonic device such as an acronym or a rhyme. For example, to remember the aphorism 'carpe diem' (seize the day), you might use the mnemonic 'Come On, Seize This Day'.

Memorize "aphorisms" using Dictozo

The best and recommended way to memorize aphorisms is, by using Dictozo. Just save the word in Dictozo extension and let the app handle the rest. It enhances the memorization process in two ways:

  1. Highlighting:

    Whenever users encounters the saved word on a webpage, Dictozo highlights it, drawing the user's attention and reinforcing memorization.

  2. Periodic Reminders:

    Dictozo will send you periodic reminders to remind you the saved word, it will ask you quiz. These reminders could be in the form of notifications or emails, prompting users to recall and reinforce their knowledge.

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