Shibboleth

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈʃɪbəlɛθ/

Definitions

1. A word or phrase used as a test for membership in a group, often revealing social or cultural identity; a linguistic marker indicating one's background or allegiance; a custom or practice that distinguishes a particular group from others
2. A specific term that serves as a password or identifier for a community's members, highlighting their shared beliefs or traditions; a distinctive feature of language that denotes class or origin; a conventional practice that sets apart a group from outsiders
3. An expression or saying that functions as an insider's signal within a particular group, showcasing cultural ties; a linguistic trait that can unravel one's origins or affiliations; a habitual practice emblematic of a community's uniqueness and separateness

Etymology: The most famous story behind this word is in the Book of Judges, chapter 12. After a battle between the Gileadites and the Ephraimites, the Gileadites held the fords of the Jordan River and asked anyone trying to cross to say "shibboleth." Ephraimites, who could not pronounce the initial "sh" sound, said "sibboleth" instead, and were killed on the spot. Forty-two thousand are said to have died this way, though that figure comes from the biblical text itself. The word is a Biblical Hebrew term meaning "ear of grain" or "stream, torrent," so its original sense had nothing to do with language. It passed into Late Latin as "sebboleth" through the Vulgate, the Latin Bible of Jerome, and from there came the English form "sebolech" in Middle English, a doublet of the word now used. The modern spelling "shibboleth" was borrowed directly from Hebrew, which explains why English has two forms from one source.

Synonyms: catchphrase, slogan, watchword