also ap·o·phthegm n.

A terse, witty, instructive saying; a maxim.

[Greek apophthegma, from apophthengesthai, to speak plainly : apo-, intensive pref.; see apo– + phthengesthai, phtheg-, to speak.]

apothegmatic ap'o·theg·mat'ic (-thĕg-măt'ĭk) or ap'o·theg·mat'i·cal (-ĭ-kəl) adj.
apothegmatically ap'o·theg·mat'i·cal·ly adv.

Time magazine put Ann Coulter on the cover and used apothegmatic (terse and witty) in the article.

"But no one on the right is so iconic, such a totem of this particular moment. Coulter epitomizes the way politics is now discussed on the airwaves, where opinions must come violently fast and cause as much friction as possible. No one, right or left, delivers the required apothegmatic commentary on the world with as much glee or effectiveness as Coulter."

Posted April 18, 2005.

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apophthegm [ap‐ŏ‐them] or apothegm, an aphorism or maxim, especially one of the pithiest kind. Boswell refers to Johnson's famous saying, ‘Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel’, as an apophthegm. A person who composes apophthegms is an apophthegmatist.

Adjective: apophthegmatic or apothegmatic.

a short, pithy and instructive saying or formulation: aphorism; also apopthegm

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: a short pithy instructive saying
  Synonyms: aphorism, apophthegm

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