shibboleth

IPA: ʃˈɪbʌɫɛθ

A particular pronunciation or custom that is regarded as distinguishing members of a group from non-members, especially when used as a test.
A common or longstanding belief, custom, or catchphrase associated with a particular group, especially one with little current meaning or truth.

Examples of "shibboleth" in Sentences

In English the Hebrew word shibboleth now sometimes refers to clichés or tired slogans.
The word shibboleth in ancient Hebrew dialects meant 'ear of grain' (or, some say, 'stream').
I've read the word shibboleth a hundred times, written it a few, and probably even said it myself, but I had never understood it until then.
“A shibboleth is a test—a way to separate da wheat from da chaff that's as old as the Bible, but as new as the latest trend in men's fashions,” Gus says.
And, so, this shibboleth, which is largely used by Republicans, to say, oh, the Democrats want terrorists in your -- in your neighborhood, in your community, that is a lot of baloney.
People who want to make this about Joe Wilson have their official Faux News blinders on (you can tell when they repeat catch phrases like “criminilization of politics” – that’s what you call a shibboleth).
The notion that there is a global conspiracy by professional scientists to falsify results in order to get more research money is, to borrow Quiggen's words about birtherism, "a shibboleth, that is, an affirmation that marks the speaker as a member of their community or tribe."