Home › Proverbs

Familiarity breeds contempt

Meaning: Being too close to something can reduce appreciation for it.

Origin: Latin proverb (Nimia familiaritas parit contemptum) from the 4th century.

Translations

  • French: La familiarité engendre le mépris (literally: Familiarity breeds contempt)
  • Spanish: La confianza da asco (literally: Familiarity breeds disgust)
  • Japanese: 親しき仲にも礼儀あり (Shitashiki naka ni mo reigi ari) (literally: Even in close relationships, there is etiquette)

← Back to Proverbs

Loading the full interactive collection…