old wives' tale en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
In this context, the word “wives” means “women” and not “married women,” retaining the original sense of Old English wīf, which meant “woman” as well as “wife”. The phrase could be a reformation of Old English ealdra cwēna spell or a calque of Latin anīlis fābula, both literally “old women’s story.”
Meanings
- A supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth
-
A rumour, myth or superstition; something which is almost certainly untrue, despite acceptance by many.
According to the old wives' tales that are related about this race of genii who inhabit Iceland and its vicinity, they have a political form of government modelled after the same pattern as that which the inhabitants themselves are under.
1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume I, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 253:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| old wives' tales | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Relateds
urban legend · urban myth · old wife
Synonyms
Translations (28)
scn cuntu (rumour, myth or superstition) · fr mythe (rumour, myth or superstition) · fr conte de bonne femme (supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth) · de Ammenmärchen (rumour, myth or superstition) · la anīlis fābula (supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth) · tr kocakarı hikâyesi (supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth) · ang ealdra cwēna spell (rumour, myth or superstition) · eu atso-ipuin (rumour, myth or superstition) · cmn 迷信的說法 /迷信的说法 (rumour, myth or superstition) · eu atsokeria (rumour, myth or superstition) · da ammestuehistorie (rumour, myth or superstition) · nl bakerpraatje (rumour, myth or superstition) · no kjerringsnakk (rumour, myth or superstition) · fi akkojen puhe (rumour, myth or superstition) · fi huhupuhe (supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth) · cmn 迷信的說法 /迷信的说法 (supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth) · la ava (supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth) · fr conte de bonne femme (rumour, myth or superstition) · he סִפּוּרֵי סָבְתָא (rumour, myth or superstition) · tr kocakarı masalı (supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth) · ru бабьи сказки (rumour, myth or superstition) · mk бабина деветина (supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth) · yi באָבע־מעשׂה (rumour, myth or superstition) · sv amsaga (rumour, myth or superstition) · fi harhaluulo (rumour, myth or superstition) · fi akkojen puhe (supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth) · scn cuntu (supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth) · mk бабина деветина (rumour, myth or superstition)