proverbial

American  

[pruh-vur-bee-uhl] / prəˈvɜr bi əl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a proverb.

   proverbial brevity.

2. expressed in a proverb or proverbs.

   proverbial wisdom.

3. of the nature of or resembling a proverb.

   proverbial sayings.

4. having been made the subject of a proverb.

   the proverbial barn door which is closed too late.

5. having become an object of common mention or reference.

   your proverbial inability to get anywhere on time.

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proverbial British  

/ prəˈvɜːbɪəl /

adjective

1. (prenominal) commonly or traditionally referred to, esp as being an example of some peculiarity, characteristic, etc

2. of, connected with, embodied in, or resembling a proverb

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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

Explanation

If something is proverbial, it's referred to in a familiar saying. If your little brother knocks over his milk and starts crying, you might think of the proverbial spilled milk. Proverb is the root of proverbial, and it comes from the Latin word proverbium, “a common saying.” Proverbs are little stories or expressions that usually teach a lesson, like "Don't cry over spilled milk," which means "It's a waste of time to be upset about something that can't be helped." You could say to your dog, "Well, aren't you the proverbial best friend?" or tell your sister, who's dyed her hair purple, "You stick out like the proverbial sore thumb."

Example Sentences

In the comments section of Skylight’s post announcing the big news, the who’s who of L.A.’s literati popped the proverbial champagne.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

“Investors clearly are looking through the proverbial valley, and why not, since the president stated that he thinks we could have a deal by the end of the week,” Rosenberg writes.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

De Meo, seeming satisfied, later said it had been a characteristically direct intervention from someone like him, arriving with his proverbial big boots rather than ideals.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

“The scale is too much. There’s too much risk for any company … to put all of their proverbial eggs in one basket.”

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

I had thought of all these possibilities and more, but never that of Rosa’s death, despite my proverbial pessimism, which always leads me to expect the worst.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende