experience is the best teacher

proverb

Lessons learned from experience are the most lasting.

OriginLatin ūsus magister est optimus →
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Meanings

proverb
  1. Lessons learned from experience are the most lasting.

Origin

  1. Latinūsus magister est optimus
  2. Englishexperience is the best teacher

Calque of Latin ūsus magister est optimus, from Prō Rabīriō Postumō by Cicerō about Gāius Rabīrius Postumus.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian парен каша духа, не питай старило, а патило
  • парен каша духа (paren kaša duha)lessons learned from experience are the most lasting
  • не питай старило, а патило (ne pitaj starilo, a patilo)lessons learned from experience are the most lasting
  • не питай старило, питай патило (ne pitaj starilo, pitaj patilo)lessons learned from experience are the most lasting
Finnish käytäntö on paras opettaja, Siperia opettaa
  • käytäntö on paras opettajalessons learned from experience are the most lasting
  • Siperia opettaalessons learned from experience are the most lasting
German Probieren geht über Studieren
  • Probieren geht über Studierenlessons learned from experience are the most lasting
Hungarian gyakorlat teszi a mestert, ismétlés a tudás anyja
  • gyakorlat teszi a mestertlessons learned from experience are the most lasting
  • ismétlés a tudás anyjalessons learned from experience are the most lasting
Latin ūsus magister est optimus
  • ūsus magister est optimuslessons learned from experience are the most lasting
Spanish la experiencia es la madre de la ciencia
  • la experiencia es la madre de la ciencialessons learned from experience are the most lasting
Cite this entry
APA

experience is the best teacher. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/experience%20is%20the%20best%20teacher

MLA

“experience is the best teacher.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/experience%20is%20the%20best%20teacher. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “experience is the best teacher,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/experience%20is%20the%20best%20teacher.

Source: experience is the best teacher on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.