shibboleth
[ shib-uh-lith, ‐leth ]
/ ˈʃɪb ə lɪθ, ‐ˌlɛθ /
noun
a peculiarity of pronunciation, behavior, mode of dress, etc., that distinguishes a particular class or set of persons.
a slogan; catchword.
a common saying or belief with little current meaning or truth.
Origin of shibboleth
< Hebrew
shibbōleth literally, freshet, a word used by the Gileadites as a test to detect the fleeing Ephraimites, who could not pronounce the sound
sh (Judges 12:4–6)
Words nearby shibboleth
Example sentences from the Web for shibboleth
British Dictionary definitions for shibboleth
shibboleth
/ (ˈʃɪbəˌlɛθ) /
noun
a belief, principle, or practice which is commonly adhered to but which is thought by some people to be inappropriate or out of date
a custom, phrase, or use of language that acts as a test of belonging to, or as a stumbling block to becoming a member of, a particular social class, profession, etc
Word Origin for shibboleth
C14: from Hebrew, literally: ear of grain; the word is used in the Old Testament by the Gileadites as a test word for the Ephraimites, who could not pronounce the sound
sh
Cultural definitions for shibboleth
shibboleth
[ (shib-uh-luhth, shib-uh-leth) ]
In the Old Testament, shibboleth was a password used by the Israelites. It was chosen because their enemies could not pronounce it.
notes for shibboleth
By extension, a shibboleth is an often-repeated slogan. It also means an arbitrary test to prove membership in a group.