Aphorisms are short, memorable, or witty statements that express some moral principle or universal truth. “Blood is thicker than water,” for example, is an aphorism suggesting that family ties are the strongest kind. But is that the full story? Some suggest that this saying was originally longer and meant the opposite: “The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.” But don’t believe everything you read on the internet. Here’s the real story behind the most common aphorisms used today, including those with historical origins and those that have been debunked.
What you may have heard: “The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.”
The verdict: False
“Blood is thicker than water” is a popular expression that means a person’s familial bonds are more important than any other ties. Early written evidence of this phrasing comes from a 1737 collection of Scottish proverbs, but the phrase likely dates back almost a millennium, perhaps to a 12th-century German epic, Reinhart Fuchs (Reynard the Fox), by Heinrich der Glîchezære: “I also hear it said, kin-blood is not spoiled by water.”
But a longer version has circulated with more formal phrasing that has led some people to believe it’s older: “The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.” If this were the original expression, it would reverse the meaning, instead suggesting that bonds formed by choice are stronger than blood relations. Despite its popularity, there is no historical evidence of this longer version dating back as far as the shorter version. Instead, it seems to be a modern alteration, appearing in the 1990s to support a different point of view.
What you may have heard: “Life is short, and Art long; the crisis fleeting; experience perilous, and decision difficult.”
The verdict: True
The simple three-word phrase above is a classic aphorism about the truth of human existence and taking opportunities when they arise. The word “aphorism” comes from ancient Greece, where it appeared in Hippocrates’ book Aphorisms (400 BCE). The book presented principles of diagnosis and treatment of disease — and also helped establish what we define as an aphorism today.
The work opens with the lines “Life is short, and Art long; the crisis fleeting; experience perilous, and decision difficult.” It describes the arduous process of learning the skill of practicing medicine. While this expansion doesn’t necessarily change the meaning of the more popular, shortened aphorism, it does change the tone, giving it urgency and gravity. The expression has since spread far beyond medicine.
What you may have heard: “A jack-of-all-trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”
The verdict: False
A jack-of-all-trades is known for being versatile and good at a variety of things. The term has been used in English since the 1600s, but the aphorism appeared roughly a century later, suggesting that this versatility can be a hindrance because the person doesn’t have the time or ability to master any one task when they’re juggling so many. An early written version of the phrase dates to a 1721 Boston newsletter: “Jack of all Trades; and it would seem, Good at none.”
Today, an extension is sometimes tacked on: “A jack-of-all-trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” This flips the original meaning, suggesting that being a jack-of-all-trades is better than mastering only one skill. While it is a compelling twist, there is no historical documentation of this 21st-century invention.
What you may have heard: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.”
The verdict: True
A widely used English expression, “Money is the root of all evil,” is actually a misquotation of the Bible verse 1 Timothy 6:10: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.” This verse criticizes greed, not money itself, which alters the meaning of the popular phrase. It blames people’s actions and unethical behavior rather than money or financial institutions.
Even in the earliest written versions of the Bible, the expression remains the same: “Loue to money..is worthi to be forborn..as Poul seith, it is ‘the roote of al yuel’” (1449). Another early version, featured in a collection of Catholic texts from 1564, reads, “The covetousness of money is the root of all evil.” By the 18th century, the shortened version, “Money is the root of all evil,” began appearing in print outside of biblical contexts.
What you may have heard: “Great minds think alike, though fools seldom differ.”
The verdict: Partially accurate
“Great minds think alike” suggests that intelligent people arrive at the same conclusion independently, though it’s often used in modern English as a humorous way to acknowledge shared or simultaneous ideas. It first appeared in Bouhours’ Arts of Logick & Rhetorick (1728), a book on communication: “Great minds often think alike on the same occasions.”
The phrase was later expanded to include “though fools seldom differ,” a humorous caution against conformity or groupthink. Though entertaining and popular, this version was not the original. Its first print appearance may date to a February 1932 newspaper article from Saskatchewan, Canada: “Great minds think alike; fools seldom differ.”
What you may have heard: “Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.”
The verdict: Partially accurate
“Curiosity killed the cat” suggests that some things are better left unquestioned. The expression has been used in English since at least the mid-19th century, originally as an Irish English proverb. The extended version, including “but satisfaction brought it back,” isn’t the original, but it was featured in a Pennsylvania newspaper in 1912. The full expression suggests that finding the truth makes the risk worthwhile.
But there’s more to this story: “Curiosity killed the cat” stems from an older expression, “Care killed the cat,” which dates to the mid-16th century. In this context, “care” refers to worry or sorrow for others. It first appeared in print in Every Man in His Humour (1598), written by the English playwright Ben Jonson: “Helterskelter, hang sorrow, care’ll kill a cat, up-tails all, and a louse for the hangman.” One year later, it appeared in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing: “What, courage, man! What though care killed a cat?” By the late 19th century, this version disappeared, and “curiosity” became the more popular form of the expression.
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