SHIBBOLETH


Meaning of SHIBBOLETH in English

/ ˈʃɪbəleθ; NAmE / noun ( formal )

1.

an old idea, principle or phrase that is no longer accepted by many people as important or appropriate to modern life

2.

a custom, word, etc. that distinguishes one group of people from another

ORIGIN: From a Hebrew word meaning 'ear of corn'. In the Bible story, Jephthah, the leader of the Gileadites, was able to use it as a test to tell which were his own men, because others found the 'sh' sound difficult to pronounce.

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.