old wives' tale

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• Canada, US: /ɔld ˈwaɪvz teɪl/
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• Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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• Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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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.”

27 source translations are retained for this English entry.

• Chinese Mandarin: 迷信的說法 /迷信的说法 (míxìn de shuōfǎ) — supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth
• Finnish: huhupuhe — supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth
• Finnish: akkojen puhe — supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth
• French: conte de bonne femme — supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth
• Latin: anīlis fābula — supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth
• Latin: ava — supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth
• Macedonian: бабина деветина (babina devetina) — supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth
• Sicilian: cuntu — supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth
• Turkish: kocakarı hikâyesi — supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth
• Turkish: kocakarı masalı — supposed truth that has been passed down by word of mouth
• Basque: atsokeria — rumour, myth or superstition
• Basque: atso-ipuin — rumour, myth or superstition
• Chinese Mandarin: 迷信的說法 /迷信的说法 (míxìn de shuōfǎ) — rumour, myth or superstition
• Danish: ammestuehistorie — rumour, myth or superstition
• Dutch: bakerpraatje — rumour, myth or superstition
• Finnish: harhaluulo — rumour, myth or superstition
• Finnish: akkojen puhe — rumour, myth or superstition
• French: mythe — rumour, myth or superstition
• French: conte de bonne femme — rumour, myth or superstition
• German: Ammenmärchen — rumour, myth or superstition
• Hebrew: סִפּוּרֵי סָבְתָא (sippuréy savtá) — rumour, myth or superstition
• Norwegian: kjerringsnakk — rumour, myth or superstition
• Old English: ealdra cwēna spell — rumour, myth or superstition
• Russian: бабьи сказки (babʹi skazki) — rumour, myth or superstition
• Sicilian: cuntu — rumour, myth or superstition
• Swedish: amsaga — rumour, myth or superstition
• Yiddish: באָבע־מעשׂה (bobe-mayse) — rumour, myth or superstition