a short traditional saying that expresses a common truth or piece of advice, often passed down through generations.
From Old French 'proverbe,' derived from Latin 'proverbium' meaning 'a saying put forward.' The prefix 'pro' means 'forth' and 'verbum' means 'word'—literally 'a word put forward.'
Proverbs from different cultures often contradict each other—'he who hesitates is lost' versus 'look before you leap'—showing that proverbs aren't universal truths but rather cultural values that change based on what each society needs to emphasize.
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