what is a shibboleths
shibboleth (plural shibboleths) 1  A word, especially seen as a test, to distinguish someone as belonging to a particular nation, class, profession etc. 2  A common or longstanding belief, custom, or catchphrase associated with a particular group, especially one with little current meaning or truth. It's about time we abandoned the bourgeois shibboleth that earning money makes you a better person.