<P> "A picture is worth a thousand words" is an English language - idiom . It refers to the notion that a complex idea can be conveyed with just a single still image or that an image of a subject conveys its meaning or essence more effectively than a description does . </P> <P> The expression "Use a picture . It's worth a thousand words ." appears in a 1911 newspaper article quoting newspaper editor Tess Flanders discussing journalism and publicity . </P> <P> A similar phrase, "One Look Is Worth A Thousand Words", appears in a 1913 newspaper advertisement for the Piqua Auto Supply House of Piqua, Ohio . </P> <P> An early use of the exact phrase appears in a 1918 newspaper advertisement for the San Antonio Light, which says: </P>

Where did the phrase a picture is worth a thousand words originate