shibboleth

UK: /ˈʃɪbəˌlɛθ/ US: /ˈʃɪbəlɪθ, -ˌlɛθ/ ,(shib′ə lith, -leth′)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

shib•bo•leth /ˈʃɪbəlɪθ, -ˌlɛθ/   n. [countable]

1. a particular way of speech that distinguishes a certain group.
2. a common saying or belief with little current meaning or truth.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

shib•bo•leth  (shib′ə lith, -leth′), n. 

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.

• 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)

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

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belief, principle, or practice which is commonly adhered to but which is thought by some people to be inappropriate or out of date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

Etymology: 14th Century: 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