ProverbHuman Nature
Latin origin
Latin originFamiliarity breeds contempt
Meaning: Being too close to something can reduce appreciation for it.
Origin: Aesop's fable of the fox and the lion shows it: the fox, terrified at first sight of a lion, soon grows bold enough to chat with him. Publilius Syrus wrote that too much familiarity breeds contempt, and Chaucer's The Tale of Melibee has it in English.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, Italian, and Dutch
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)
Italian: Confidenza toglie riverenza (literally: Familiarity removes reverence)
Dutch: Al te grote gemeenzaamheid baart verachting (literally: Too much familiarity breeds contempt)
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- Courir sur le haricot To get badly on someone's nerves.
- Tienes menos luces que un barco pirata You're really not the brightest.
- Eres más lento que el caballo del malo You're painfully slow — the villain's horse never catches the hero.
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