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Shibboleth

Words · Myth & story

A password-word of Israelite story whose pronunciation sorted friend from foe. Not a generic oath, and not every later “in-group word” slogan.

European folklore

  • Shibboleth appears in Bible.

    Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable seats Shibboleth as the password test from Judges xii — Gileadites made Ephraimite fugitives say Shibboleth; those who said Sibboleth were known as foes — and the later party-password phrase. A named Shibboleth in that scriptural watchword speech, not a bare slogan dump alone.

    from Ebenezer Cobham Brewer · Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, 1870 (and later PD editions)

    appears in · sourced · documented

sources