Sometimes the ancient root of a word matches up perfectly to the modern definition. “Aphorism” comes from the Greek word “aphorismós,” which directly translates to “definition,” but the usage was closer to “brief statements and general reflections of facts.” Many credit the Greek physician Hippocrates for the invention of this word in his 400 BCE writing “Aphorisms of Hippocrates.” Today, you can keep in mind one of the most well-known aphorisms: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”