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Shibboleth: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Shibboleth noun. A word, custom or belief that marks someone as an insider, or an old principle no longer questioned.
How to say it
SHIB-uh-leth/ˈʃɪbəlɛθ/
3 syllables, stressed on the first (SHIB).
Shibboleth in a sentence
How you say 'scone' is a shibboleth in some parts of Britain.
The new editor cheerfully broke every shibboleth of the paper's style guide.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- password
- watchword
- dogma
- convention
Where shibboleth comes from
Hebrew for an ear of grain; in Judges 12 it exposed enemies who couldn't say its 'sh' sound.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The new editor cheerfully broke every _____ of the paper's style guide.
- sarcasm
- esprit de l'escalier
- shibboleth
Show the answer
shibboleth: The new editor cheerfully broke every shibboleth of the paper's style guide.