The Archive

Etymology Journal · D

Don't reinvent the wheel

Meaning

Do not waste time creating a new solution for a problem that has already been solved effectively. Use what is already known to work.

Pragmatic, professional

Used in a sentence

  • We can use the existing template for the report, don't reinvent the wheel.
  • Just copy the code from the previous project, don't reinvent the wheel.
  • The system works fine, don't reinvent the wheel.

The backstory

A 20th-century corporate and engineering cliché. It emphasizes efficiency and the value of existing systems over unnecessary innovation.

Heard in

Nationwide

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