Nothing new under the sun
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
Human events and ideas repeat; what seems novel usually has a precedent. Often wry or resigned rather than literally denying all innovation. Regional use: Late Middle English biblical translation; now widespread.
Origin
Ecclesiastes 1:9 says that there is nothing new under the sun. The Wycliffe Bible already renders the thought with substantially the modern English words in the late fourteenth century. The phrase's present secular use often comments wryly on recurring fashions, errors, or ambitions, whereas the biblical passage makes a broader reflection on the cycles and apparent futility of earthly life.
Research Sources
Variants
- There is nothing new under the sun
Usage Examples
- Subscription schemes feel modern, but there is nothing new under the sun.
- The archive reminded us that there is nothing new under the sun in local politics.
- Another revival of flared trousers proves there is nothing new under the sun.