proverbial
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or characteristic of a proverb.
proverbial brevity.
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expressed in a proverb or proverbs.
proverbial wisdom.
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of the nature of or resembling a proverb.
proverbial sayings.
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having been made the subject of a proverb.
the proverbial barn door which is closed too late.
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having become an object of common mention or reference.
your proverbial inability to get anywhere on time.
adjective
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(prenominal) commonly or traditionally referred to, esp as being an example of some peculiarity, characteristic, etc
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of, connected with, embodied in, or resembling a proverb
Other Word Forms
- proverbially adverb
- unproverbial adjective
- unproverbially adverb
Etymology
Origin of proverbial
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Latin word prōverbiālis. See proverb, -al 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They floundered about in the wrong clothes with the incorrect haircut and speech patterns like the proverbial bull in a china shop.
From Literature
Many Angelenos don’t know Eastern Pacific green sea turtles are swimming in their proverbial backyard, but they are — and they’re thriving.
From Los Angeles Times
Burger King’s Curtis and other executives who spoke with MarketWatch say they’re well aware that their efforts constitute just a drop in the proverbial bucket in terms of dealing with customer issues.
From MarketWatch
"It's becoming increasingly clear that many pathogens are able to quickly mutate. Like the proverbial leopard that changes its spots, a virus can change the antigens on its surface," Pulendran said.
From Science Daily
In the best tradition of country music, his 1995 masterpiece is the proverbial three chords and the truth.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
