Idiom definition: An idiom is a figure of speech established by usage that has a meaning not necessarily
deductible from those of the individual words.
What is an Idiom?
Idioms are a type of figurative language, which means they are not always meant to be taken literally.
Idioms express a particular sentiment, but they do not literally mean what the individual words
themselves mean.
An idiom is a saying that is specific to a language. For example, an idiom in English does not translate to
an idiom in Spanish.
Idiom Example
The grass is always greener on the other side.
what is idiomThis idiom does not literally mean that the “other side” will always have greener grass.
There may not even be a literal “other side” to the subject at hand—or grass for that matter.
The meaning of this idiom is that people think the other person, or someone in a different situation, has
it better, or easier, than they do.
Popular Idiom Examples
what is a idiom There are thousands of examples of idioms in English alone. Each language has at least
an equal amount, so this list is by no means exhaustive.
That said, here are a few common English idioms.
Common English Idioms:
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Origin: The saying has existed for centuries in various forms; main creditor: Margaret Wolfe Hungerford,
1878
Meaning: What looks beautiful to one person may not look beautiful to another.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
Origin: Samuel Butler poem, 1663
Meaning: Do not count on something before it has come to be.
No crying over spilt milk.
Origin: unknown
Meaning: Do not be upset about something that cannot be changed. OR: Do not be upset about
something that is really just a small matter.
Curiosity killed the cat.
Origin: proverb; Ben Jonson play, 1598
Meaning: Being too curious or inquisitive can be dangerous.
It’s raining cats and dogs.
Origin: unknown
Meaning: There is a heavy downpour.
Back to the drawing board.
Origin: possibly artist Peter Arno, 1941
Meaning: Time to start over. We need to start from the beginning.
The hay is in the barn.
Origin: unknown
Meaning: The action is complete. It is finished.
A penny for your thoughts.
Origin: perhaps English ruler Penda, c. 640
Meaning: What are you thinking?
Beat around the bush.
Origin: Medieval Period
Meaning: Someone is avoiding the topic.
You can’t judge a book by its cover.
Origin: mid-19th century
Meaning: Do not assume you know someone or something by how he or it appears.
That costs an arm and a leg.
Origin: unknown
Meaning: That is very expensive.
Idioms Are Not Always Grammatical
idioms examples Since idioms are born out of popular usage, they aren’t always logical
Since idioms are born out of popular usage, they aren’t always logical, and they don’t always follow
traditional grammar patterns.
This is because the phrase itself carries the meaning of the idiom, and not the individual words in the
phrase, regardless of each word’s grammatical function.
For example,
This is a life-and-death situation.
Something that is life-and-death is extremely important, but that phrase itself is illogical. A situation
can’t be life and death.
Similarly, a phrase like it’s not you, it’s me is technically ungrammatical.
Idioms Are Not Complete Thoughts
idiom definition for kids As with any phrase, an idiom itself doesn’t create a complete sentence. They
require additional context to give them meaning.
For example,
beat around the bush
This idiom is not a complete sentence. It’s the idea itself that is the idiom. One might make it into a
complete sentence by saying:
Don’t beat around the bush.
-OR-
He’s beating around the bush.
Summary: What are Idioms?
Define idiom: the definition of idiom is a phrase that has a meaning greater than its constituent parts
might suggest.
In summary, an idiom is:
a figure of speech
a phrase that should not be taken literally
used to express a particular sentiment
specific to a particular language, group, or region
