Today, an aphorism can be defined as a brief statement accepted as a general truth. Yet, beginning with the ancient medical aphorisms of Hippocrates, through the Early Modern Period, and into the nineteenth century, the definition and importance of this short literary genre has changed substantially. This article traces the history of the aphorism to show how the cultural contexts in which aphorisms were created shaped their definitions and uses.

Classical Period

Etymologically, “aphorism” is composed of the Greek apo- “from, away from” + horizein “to bind”, which creates a literal definition of “binding from” (Hui, 2019). This does not give the reader much substance, except to say that that an aphorism is a statement that verbally fragments the world into

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Citation: Kısmet Bell, Jameson. "Aphorism". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 22 September 2023 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=67, accessed 21 November 2024.]