proverbial

English

Adjective

proverbial (comparative more proverbial, superlative most proverbial)

1. Of, resembling, or expressed as a proverb, cliché, fable, or fairy tale.
   • 1947, Miracle on 34th Street (transcript):

     Doris: You're making me feel like the proverbial stepmother.

2. Widely known; famous; stereotypical.

   I grew up in a prefab house on Main Street in 1950s suburbia, the second and last child of a proverbial nuclear family.

Translations

of a proverb

• Czech: příslovečný (cs) m
• Finnish: sananlaskumainen

• Greek: παροιμιακός (el) (paroimiakós)
• Welsh: diarhebol (cy)

widely known; famous

• Finnish: tunnettu, maankuulu, kuuluisa
• German: sprichwörtlich (de)

• Greek: παροιμιώδης (el) (paroimiódis)
• Russian: общеизвестный (ru) (obščeizvestnyj), пресловутый (ru) (preslovutyj)

Noun

proverbial (plural proverbials)

1. (euphemistic) Used to replace a word that might be considered unacceptable in a particular situation, when using a well known phrase.

   I think we should be prepared in case the proverbial hits the fan.

2. (euphemistic) The groin or the testicles.

Translations

groin

• Finnish: sukukalleudet (figuratively)