WordNet Dictionary- [adj] widely known and spoken of; "her proverbial lateness"; "the proverbial absentiminded professor"; "your proverbial dizzy blonde"
- [adj] of or relating to or resembling or expressed in a proverb; "he kicked the proverbial bucket"; "the proverbial grasshopper"
Webster's 1913 Dictionary\Pro*ver"bi*al\, a. [L. proverbialis: cf. F.
proverbial.]
1. Mentioned or comprised in a proverb; used as a proverb;
hence, commonly known; as, a proverbial expression; his
meanness was proverbial.
In case of excesses, I take the German proverbial
cure, by a hair of the same beast, to be the worst.
--Sir W.
Temple.
2. Of or pertaining to proverbs; resembling a proverb. ``A
proverbial obscurity.'' --Sir T. Browne.