在1520年代，aphorisme（从古法语aufforisme演变而来，14世纪）一词被用来表示“原则的简明陈述”，尤其是指《希波克拉底语录》。这个词源于晚期拉丁语aphorismus，而其更早的来源则是希腊语aphorismos，意为“定义；简短而有力的句子”。它由aphorizein（“划分，界定”）演变而来，进一步拆分为apo（“从”——参见apo-）和horizein（“界定”——参见horizon）。
到了1580年代，英语中开始普遍使用“简短而深刻的陈述，传达普遍真理”这一含义，例如“人生苦短，艺术悠长”。与此不同的是，axiom（公理）指的是显而易见的真理；而epigram（警句）则类似于格言，但通常缺乏普遍性。Maxim（格言）和saying（谚语）可以作为aphorism的同义词，但格言往往更实用，而谚语则更为平常，且通常附有作者的名字。
[F]or aphorisms, except they should be ridiculous, cannot be made but of the pith and heart of sciences ; for discourse of illustration is cut off ; recitals of examples are cut off ; discourse of connexion and order is cut off ; descriptions of practice are cut off. So there remaineth nothing to fill the aphorisms but some good quantity of observation : and therefore no man can suffice, nor in reason will attempt, to write aphorisms, but he that is sound and grounded. [Francis Bacon, "The Advancement of Learning," 1605]
[F]or aphorisms, except they should be ridiculous, cannot be made but of the pith and heart of sciences; for discourse of illustration is cut off; recitals of examples are cut off; discourse of connexion and order is cut off; descriptions of practice are cut off. So there remaineth nothing to fill the aphorisms but some good quantity of observation: and therefore no man can suffice, nor in reason will attempt, to write aphorisms, but he that is sound and grounded. [Francis Bacon, "The Advancement of Learning," 1605]
