apothegmatical
|a-po-theg-mat-i-cal|
/ˌæpəˈθɛɡmətɪkəl/
concise and aphoristic
Etymology
'apothegmatical' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'apophthégma' (ἀποφθέγμα), where 'apo-' meant 'away, off' and 'phthégma' meant 'a spoken utterance or saying'.
'apophthégma' passed into Late Latin/Medieval Latin as 'apophthegma' and into Middle English as 'apothegm'/'apophthegm', and the English adjective 'apothegmatical' was later formed from that noun.
Initially it referred to 'a concise, pithy saying' (a noun). Over time the adjectival form came to mean 'having the character of such sayings' — i.e., concise, pointed, and aphoristic.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
of the nature of an apothegma; expressed briefly and pointedly like an aphorism — pithy, terse, and instructive.
The critic's review was apothegmatical, each sentence delivering a sharp, memorable observation.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/22 18:42