An adage (IPA /ˌædˈeɪdʒ/), or adagium (Latin), is a short, but memorable saying, which holds some important fact of experience that is considered true by many people, or it has gained some credibility through its long use. Articles with similar titles include the NATO phonetic alphabet, which has also informally been called the “International Phonetic Alphabet”. For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words, see IPA chart for English. ...

Adages may be interesting observations, practical or ethical guidelines, or pessimistic comments on life. Some adages are products of folk wisdom which attempt to summarize some basic truth; these are generally known as proverbs. An adage which describes a general rule of conduct may be known as a "maxim". A pithy expression which has not necessarily gained credit through long use but which is distinguished by particular depth or good style is known as an aphorism, while one distinguished by wit or irony is known as an epigram. Through overuse, an adage may become a cliché or truism. For other uses, see Ethics (disambiguation). ... Pessimists see the world as uninviting and cruel. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Look up proverb in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article needs cleanup. ... An aphorism (literally distinction or definition, from Greek αφοριζειν to define) expresses a general truth in a pithy sentence. ... Look up Wit in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... “Ironic” redirects here. ... An epigram is a short poem with a clever twist at the end or a concise and witty statement. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A truism is a claim that is so obvious or self-evident as to be hardly worth mentioning, except as a reminder or as a rhetorical or literary device. ...

Adages coined in modernity are often given proper names and called "laws" in imitation of physical laws, or "principles". Some adages, such as Murphy's Law, are first formulated informally and given proper names later, while others, such as the Peter Principle, have proper names in their initial formulation; it might be argued that the latter sort does not represent "true" adages, but the two types are often difficult to distinguish. For a list of set rules, see Laws of science. ... It has been suggested that Finagles law and Sods law be merged into this article or section. ... For the BBC sitcom, see The Peter Principle (TV series). ...

Adages formulated in popular works of fiction often find their way into popular culture, especially when there exists a subculture devoted to the work or its genre, as is the case with science fiction novels. Many professions and subcultures create their own adages, which may be seen as a sort of jargon; such adages may find their way into popular usage, sometimes becoming altered in the process. Online communities, such as those which develop in internet forums or Usenet newsgroups, are known for generating their own adages. For other uses, see Fiction (disambiguation). ... Popular culture, sometimes abbreviated to pop culture, consists of widespread cultural elements in any given society. ... In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a set of people with a set of behaviors and beliefs, culture, which could be distinct or hidden, that differentiate them from the larger culture to which they belong. ... A genre [], (French: kind or sort from Greek: γένος (genos)) is a loose set of criteria for a category of literary composition; the term is also used for any other form of art or utterance. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For the glossary of hacker slang, see Jargon File. ... A virtual community or online community is a group of people that primarily interact via some form of mechanism such as letters, telephone, email or Usenet rather than face to face. ... A typical Internet forum discussion, with common elements such as quotes and spoiler brackets A page from a forum showcasing emoticons and Internet slang An Internet forum is a web application for holding discussions and posting user generated content. ... Usenet (USEr NETwork) is a global, decentralized, distributed Internet discussion system that evolved from a general purpose UUCP architecture of the same name. ... A newsgroup is a repository usually within the Usenet system, for messages posted from many users at different locations. ...

Example adages

Further information: Apophthegmata

For a listing of old adages, see "proverb"

See List of adages named after people for popular adages.

• TANSTAAFL: There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.
• Laws of infernal dynamics:
  • An object in motion will be moving in the wrong direction.
  • An object at rest will be in the wrong place.
  • The energy required to move an object in the correct direction, or put it in the right place, will be more than you wish to expend but not so much as to make the task impossible.
• Law of conservation of misery: Misery is never created or destroyed, just transferred.

Apophthegmata is the title of several collections of aphorisms (adages): Apophthegmata Laconica attributed to Plutarchus Apophthegmata Patrum, sayings of the Desert Fathers Apophthegmata Macarii Magni Apophthegmatum opus by Erasmus of Rotterdam Conrad Lycosthenes (ca. ... Look up proverb in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... List of adages named after people is an annotated list of eponymous adages; some serious, some humorous. ... TANSTAAFL is an acronym for the adage There Aint No Such Thing As A Free Lunch, popularized by science fiction writer Robert A. Heinlein and promulgated in his 1966 novel The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, which deals with a libertarian utopia. ... The laws of infernal dynamics are an adage about the cursedness of the universe. ... The law of conservation of misery is a popular adage stating that in a closed system, misery - as energy - always remains constant. ...

External links

• The 2004 Edge Annual Question: What's Your Law?: A collection of the modern adages of various scientific personalities convened by John Brockman's Edge online salon.