“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”: meaning, origin and examples
What it means
The phrase means that children often inherit characteristics, traits, or behaviors from their parents, and therefore they resemble them in many ways.
Tone Neutral; it can sound warm or critical depending on the context
Where it comes from
Ralph Waldo Emerson was credited with the first known usage of the phrase in the United States in 1839. It was inspired by an old German proverb, which translates to “As men say, the apple never falls far from the stem.”
Examples
- Her mother is a doctor, and now she’s training to be one too. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
- He’s just as stubborn as his dad. The apple never falls far from the tree.
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