ProverbWisdom
English originc. 1595
English originc. 1595A rose by any other name would smell as sweet
Meaning: The essence of something doesn't depend on what it's called.
Who said it? William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, c. 1595
Origin: From the balcony scene of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (c. 1595). Juliet, in love with the son of her family's enemy, argues that a name is only a label: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet." The tragedy of the play is that the name turns out to matter a great deal.
Equivalents in German
German: Name ist Schall und Rauch (literally: A name is sound and smoke)
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- Tête de linotte A scatterbrain who can't hold a thought.
- Courir sur le haricot To get badly on someone's nerves.
- Tienes menos luces que un barco pirata You're really not the brightest.
Keep exploring