Aphorism
A short, sharp statement that compresses a truth or observation into a single line.
An aphorism is a brief, freestanding statement that packs a general truth, observation, or principle into the smallest possible number of words. The genre is ancient — the Hippocratic Aphorisms predate the common era — and its modern masters include La Rochefoucauld, Nietzsche, Lichtenberg, and Emil Cioran. Aphorisms differ from proverbs in that they are usually attributed to a known author, and they differ from epigrams in that they aim at insight rather than wit.
A good aphorism is dense without being cryptic. It earns its brevity by removing every word that does not pull weight, and it usually relies on a turn — a small twist, contradiction, or reversal — to make the reader pause. The pause is the point. The reader's mind is forced to complete the thought, and that completion is what makes the line memorable.
Because aphorisms are so easy to misquote and so easy to misattribute, they are the most common form of quote that needs to be checked against a primary source before sharing. If you cannot find the line in a book, letter, speech, or interview, treat it as folklore.
“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”
Keep reading the glossary
A short rule for conduct, usually stated as a general principle.
A short, witty, often satirical statement built on a clever turn.
A traditional saying that expresses a generally accepted truth — almost always anonymous.
An old, well-known saying that has acquired authority through long use.