proverbial
Pronunciation:
/pɹəˈvɜɹb.iː.əl/noun
Definitions
Used to replace a word that might be considered unacceptable in a particular situation, when using a well-known phrase.
The groin or the testicles.
Example: You'll find they've got you by the proverbials.
adjective
Definitions
Of, resembling, or expressed as a proverb, cliché, fable, or fairy tale.
Not used in a literal sense, but as the subject of a well-known metaphor.
Example: proverbial spilled milk
Widely known; famous; stereotypical.
Example: I grew up in a prefab house on Main Street in 1950s suburbia, the second and last child of a proverbial nuclear family.