shibboleth

noun

shib·bo·leth ˈshi-bə-ləth How to pronounce shibboleth (audio)

also -ˌleth

: a word or saying used by adherents of a party, sect, or belief and usually regarded by others as empty of real meaning

the old shibboleths come rolling off their lips

Joseph Epstein

: a widely held belief

today this book publishing shibboleth is a myth

L. A. Wood

: truism, platitude

some truth in the shibboleth that crime does not pay

Lee Rogow

: a use of language regarded as distinctive of a particular group

accent was … a shibboleth of social class

Vivian Ducat

: a custom or usage regarded as distinguishing one group from others

for most of the well-to-do in the town, dinner was a shibboleth, its hour dividing mankind

Osbert Sitwell

Did you know?

The Bible's Book of Judges (12:4-6) tells the story of the Ephraimites, who, after they were routed by the Gileadite army, tried to retreat by sneaking across a ford of the Jordan River that was held by their enemy. The Gileadites, wary of the ploy, asked every soldier who tried to cross if he was an Ephraimite. When the soldier said "no," he was asked to say shibbōleth (which means "stream" in Hebrew). Gileadites pronounced the word "shibboleth," but Ephramites said "sibboleth." Anyone who didn't pronounce the initial sh was killed on the spot. When English speakers first borrowed shibboleth, they used it to mean "test phrase," but it has acquired additional meanings since that time.

Example Sentences

She repeated the old shibboleth that time heals all wounds. we knew that their claim of giving “the best deal in town” was just a shibboleth

Recent Examples on the Web Diversity, after all, is generally regarded as a progressive shibboleth, not a Tory one.

Yasmeen Serhan, The Atlantic, 13 July 2022 At CPAC Orlando, most of the speakers ritually invoked the shibboleth that Trump had actually won the 2020 election, despite all evidence.

Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 27 June 2022 That sounds cliché, but then, GDC has never feared a little shibboleth.

Lauren Warnecke, chicagotribune.com, 2 Apr. 2022 The Friday shibboleth remains today, but mainly when the day falls on the 13th of the month.

Melissa Holbrook Pierson, WSJ, 2 Jan. 2022 The show is now a shibboleth of public discourse here, a byword among ultra-conservatives who praise it as a patriotic exposé and reformists who denounce it as slanderous propaganda.

Omid Khazani And Henry Chu, Los Angeles Times, 18 Nov. 2021 The term has become a shibboleth, an immediate shorthand for Latter-day Saints to size up one another’s obedience and orthodoxy.

The Salt Lake Tribune, 13 Oct. 2021 Soon enough, and without advertising at all, Slack was a perk, if not a shibboleth, for a certain kind of employee and a certain kind of company.

Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 12 Oct. 2021 Despite the irony of furious takedowns and defensiveness inspired by a show about treating people with respect, Ted Lasso has become a shibboleth of TV discourse.

Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2021 See More

单词	shibboleth
释义	shibboleth noun shib·bo·leth ˈshi-bə-ləth also -ˌleth 1 a : a word or saying used by adherents of a party, sect, or belief and usually regarded by others as empty of real meaning the old shibboleths come rolling off their lips Joseph Epstein b : a widely held belief today this book publishing shibboleth is a myth L. A. Wood c : truism, platitude some truth in the shibboleth that crime does not pay Lee Rogow 2 a : a use of language regarded as distinctive of a particular group accent was … a shibboleth of social class Vivian Ducat b : a custom or usage regarded as distinguishing one group from others for most of the well-to-do in the town, dinner was a shibboleth, its hour dividing mankind Osbert Sitwell Did you know? The Bible's Book of Judges (12:4-6) tells the story of the Ephraimites, who, after they were routed by the Gileadite army, tried to retreat by sneaking across a ford of the Jordan River that was held by their enemy. The Gileadites, wary of the ploy, asked every soldier who tried to cross if he was an Ephraimite. When the soldier said "no," he was asked to say shibbōleth (which means "stream" in Hebrew). Gileadites pronounced the word "shibboleth," but Ephramites said "sibboleth." Anyone who didn't pronounce the initial sh was killed on the spot. When English speakers first borrowed shibboleth, they used it to mean "test phrase," but it has acquired additional meanings since that time. Synonyms banner catchphrase cry slogan tagline watchword See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences She repeated the old shibboleth that time heals all wounds. we knew that their claim of giving “the best deal in town” was just a shibboleth Recent Examples on the Web Diversity, after all, is generally regarded as a progressive shibboleth, not a Tory one. Yasmeen Serhan, The Atlantic, 13 July 2022 At CPAC Orlando, most of the speakers ritually invoked the shibboleth that Trump had actually won the 2020 election, despite all evidence. Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 27 June 2022 That sounds cliché, but then, GDC has never feared a little shibboleth. Lauren Warnecke, chicagotribune.com, 2 Apr. 2022 The Friday shibboleth remains today, but mainly when the day falls on the 13th of the month. Melissa Holbrook Pierson, WSJ, 2 Jan. 2022 The show is now a shibboleth of public discourse here, a byword among ultra-conservatives who praise it as a patriotic exposé and reformists who denounce it as slanderous propaganda. Omid Khazani And Henry Chu, Los Angeles Times, 18 Nov. 2021 The term has become a shibboleth, an immediate shorthand for Latter-day Saints to size up one another’s obedience and orthodoxy. The Salt Lake Tribune, 13 Oct. 2021 Soon enough, and without advertising at all, Slack was a perk, if not a shibboleth, for a certain kind of employee and a certain kind of company. Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 12 Oct. 2021 Despite the irony of furious takedowns and defensiveness inspired by a show about treating people with respect, Ted Lasso has become a shibboleth of TV discourse. Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2021 See More Word History Etymology Hebrew shibbōleth stream; from the use of this word in Judges 12:6 as a test to distinguish Gileadites from Ephraimites First Known Use 1638, in the meaning defined at sense 1a shibboleth noun 1 as in slogan an attention-getting word or phrase used to publicize something (as a campaign or product) we knew that their claim of giving "the best deal in town" was just a shibboleth Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance slogan banner watchword motto catchphrase idiom tagline cliché catchword maxim cliche cry expression battle cry war cry 2 as in cliche an idea or expression that has been used by many people there's a lot of truth in the shibboleth that if you give some people an inch, they'll take a mile Synonyms & Similar Words cliche cliché truism platitude trope bromide chestnut banality saying commonplace proverb groaner homily generalization stereotype conventional wisdom party line saw adage inanity routine simplification generality old wives' tale Antonyms & Near Antonyms profundity
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shibboleth

noun

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Synonyms

Example Sentences

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noun