shibboleth

[ shib-uh-lith, ‑-leth ]

noun

1. a peculiarity of pronunciation, behavior, mode of dress, etc., that distinguishes a particular class or set of persons.
2. a slogan; catchword.
3. a common saying or belief with little current meaning or truth.

shibboleth

/ ˈʃɪbəˌlɛθ /

noun

1. a belief, principle, or practice which is commonly adhered to but which is thought by some people to be inappropriate or out of date
2. 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

shibboleth

1. In the Old Testament , shibboleth was a password used by the Israelites . It was chosen because their enemies could not pronounce it.

Notes

By extension, a shibboleth is an often-repeated slogan. It also means an arbitrary test to prove membership in a group.

Word History and Origins

Origin of shibboleth¹

From 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)

Word History and Origins

Origin of shibboleth¹

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

Example Sentences

“Gain of Function” has become something of a shibboleth for lab-leak adherents, the way “critical race theory” and ESG have become dog whistles for activists trying to undermine, respectively, the public educational system and environmental and social concerns for investors — in this case, giving the term a uniquely sinister connotation.

From Los Angeles Times

In violation of virtually every shibboleth governing the conduct of samurai, her father assassinated a brutal lord for the sake of the realm.

From New York Times

Another hard truth is that acceptance of transgender service members harming retention or recruitment is a shibboleth that obfuscates the fact soldiers are leaving because they are burned out, and they are not joining because they perceive greater opportunities elsewhere.

From Seattle Times

Letterboxd, the social network for recommending and reviewing movies, has become a kind of shibboleth for film nerds over the past decade.

From New York Times

As I’ve been writing for nearly a year, the idea that wage increases drive inflation has been an enduring shibboleth among economists.

From Los Angeles Times