aphorism

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aphorism

aphorism , short, pithy statement of an evident truth concerned with life or nature; distinguished from the axiom because its truth is not capable of scientific demonstration. Hippocrates was the first to use the term for his Aphorisms, briefly stated medical principles. Note his famous opening sentence: "Life is short, art is long, opportunity fleeting, experimenting dangerous, reasoning difficult."

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aphorism

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | Â© The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology 1996, originally published by Oxford University Press 1996. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

aphorism XVI. — F. aphorisme, or late L. aphorismus — Gr. aphorismós, f. aphorízein define, f. APO- + horizein (see HORIZON).

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T. F. HOAD. "aphorism." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 29 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "aphorism." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (November 29, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-aphorism.html

T. F. HOAD. "aphorism." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved November 29, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-aphorism.html

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