proverb
/ˈpɹɑˌvɝb/noun, verb
proverb is spelled P-R-O-V-E-R-B: 7 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 1.4 times per million words in written English, the 24,170th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, proverb means “A commonly used sentence expressing popular wisdom” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of proverb is proverbs.
How many letters and syllables are in proverb?
| Letters | 7: P-R-O-V-E-R-B |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 1.4 times per million words; the 24,170th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is proverb?
Proverb appears 1.4 times per million words in written English, the 24,170th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce proverb?
- UK /ˈpɹɒvɜːb/
- US /ˈpɹɑˌvɝb/
Proverb has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-proverb.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with proverb
Also written: pro-verb (one word or two).
Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
Forms of proverb
- proverbs plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- proverbing participle, present
- proverbed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does proverb mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A commonly used sentence expressing popular wisdom.
Near-synonyms: aphorism, maxim, adage, saw, saying, apothegm, byword, paroemia, sententia (Latin)
- 2
obsoleteAny commonly used turn of phrase expressing a metaphor, simile, or descriptive epithet.
- 3
obsoleteA striking or paradoxical assertion; an obscure saying; an enigma; a parable.
- 4
obsoleteA familiar illustration; a subject of contemptuous reference.
- 5
obsoleteA drama exemplifying a proverb.
verb
- 1
To write or utter proverbs.
- 2
To name in, or as, a proverb.
- 3
To provide with a proverb.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Proverb in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense phrase expressing a basic truth:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | proverbe |
| German | Sprichwort, Denkspruch, Redensart, Proverb |
| Portuguese | provérbio |
| Spanish | proverbio, refrán, paremia, retraher |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does proverb come from?
From Old French proverbe, from Latin proverbium.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).