shibboleth

<font size="-1" face="arial, helvetica"> <p> <strong> <font color="#000066">Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 14, 2021 is:</font> </strong> </p> <p> <strong>shibboleth</strong> &#149; \SHIB-uh-luth\&nbsp; &#149; <em>noun</em><br /> <p><strong>1 a :</strong> a word or saying used by adherents of a party, sect, or belief and usually regarded by others as empty of real meaning</p> <p><strong>b :</strong> a widely held belief</p> <p><strong>c :</strong> truism, platitude</p> <p><strong>2 a :</strong> a use of language regarded as distinctive of a particular group</p> <p><strong>b :</strong> a custom or usage regarded as distinguishing one group from others</p> </p> <p> <strong>Examples:</strong><br /> <p>"… in Britain, whether a person pronounces <em>h</em>s is still a significant <em>shibboleth</em>." — <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=Vz805slw5LEC&amp;pg=PA173&amp;lpg=PA173&amp;dq=%22whether+a+person+pronounces+hs+is+still+a+significant+shibboleth%22&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=S6f7Tu7ppa&amp;sig=ACfU3U0oN9AB001NTXA-mnQNOSu_Vb-VFg&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiX55-E4o3xAhUbbs0KHd_kAeMQ6AEwAHoECAUQAw#v=onepage&amp;q=%22whether%20a%20person%20pronounces%20hs%20is%20still%20a%20significant%20shibboleth%22&amp;f=false">Henry Hitchings, <em>The Language Wars</em>, 2011</a></p> <p>"Even sillier was the old <em>shibboleth</em> that China's embrace of capitalist reforms … would lead to constitutional government. But the ability to buy a new cellphone never ensures the right to vote for a candidate of one's choice." — <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-201910021005--tms--vdhansonctnvh-a20191003-20191003-column.html">Victor Davis Hanson, <em>The Chicago Tribune</em>, 3 Oct. 2019</a></p> </p> <p> <strong>Did you know?</strong><br /> <p>The Bible's Book of Judges (12:4-6) tells the story of the <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Ephraimite">Ephraimites</a>, who, after they were routed by the <a href="https://www.merria