n. 1 a short pithy saying in general use, held to embody a general truth. 2 a person or thing that is notorious (he is a proverb for inaccuracy). 3 (Proverbs or Book of Proverbs) a didactic poetic Old Testament book of maxims attributed to Solomon and others.
[ ME f. OF proverbe or L proverbium (as PRO-(1), verbum word) ]