1 a short pithy saying in general use, held to embody a general truth.
2 a person or thing that is notorious (he is a proverb for inaccuracy).
3 (Proverbs or Book of Proverbs) a didactic poetic Old Testament book of maxims attributed to Solomon and others.
Etymology: ME f. OF proverbe or L proverbium (as PRO-(1), verbum word)
Useful english dictionary. 2012.