The Aphorism reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Jul-2004
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Aphorism

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An aphorism is a concise statement or popular saying that expresses a principle or truth in a terse, thoughtful manner.

Some examples are:

It can embody a bit of humor or be tied to some overworked statement, such as:

One man's socks are another man's poison.

See also: proverb, saying