An old wives’ tale is a widely held traditional belief, superstition, or piece of folk advice, especially concerning health, pregnancy, weather, or child-rearing, that is passed down through generations but has no basis in scientific fact.
Also: Old wives’ story, old wives’ fable, grandmothers’ tale
Origin & History of the Phrase “Old Wives’ Tale”
Contrary to modern claims that the phrase was invented as a targeted insult or negative stereotype of older women, the expression originated in the oral storytelling traditions of pre-literate Europe:
“Wife” Meant Simply “Woman”
In Old and Middle English, the word wif did not mean a married spouse. It referred to an adult female or woman (a meaning preserved today in words like midwife and fishwife). An “old wife” was simply an elderly matriarch or grandmother.
The Fireside Storytellers and Bedtime Tales
Before mass literacy, books, and public schools, older women were the primary custodians of oral culture in the home. Matriarchs passed down community history, moral parables, and fairy stories by the hearth to entertain children and help them fall asleep. This storytelling role is famously captured in Elizabethan playwright George Peeleโs 1595 comedy The Old Wives’ Tale, where an elderly woman named Madge sits by the cottage fire at night telling romantic, magical folk tales to travelers to pass the time.
Biblical Translations and “Fables”
The phrase took on a sharper, dismissive edge through early English Bible translations. In 1 Timothy 4:7, the Greek phrase describing superstitious gossip (graลdeis mythous, literally “myths of old women”) was translated by William Tyndale (1526) and later the King James Bible (1611) as: “But refuse profane and old wives’ fables…” This mistaken translation established “old wives’ tales” in the popular lexicon as a label for ungrounded superstitions that contradicted religious doctrine or proven truth.
The Scientific Revolution
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the rise of modern medicine and experimental science pushed traditional home herbalism and folk remedies out of standard practice. Folk wisdom that had been passed down domestically for generations became categorized as unscientific superstition.
Common Examples of Old Wives’ Tales
Sentence Examples
- “My grandmother swore that eating crusts would make your hair curly, but that’s just an old wives’ tale.”
- “Doctors have spent years debunking the old wives’ tale that sitting too close to the TV permanently damages your eyesight.”
- “She tried every old wives’ tale in the book to predict the baby’s gender, from dangling a wedding ring to checking the shape of her bump.”
Similar and Related Expressions
- Urban Legend: A modern, apocryphal story or rumor circulated as true, often involving bizarre or humorous events.
- Tall Tale: A highly exaggerate and fantastical story that is hard to believe.
- Fish Story: A boastful and improbable tale; a tall tale; a big grandiose story unlikely to be true.
- Cock-and-bull Story: An unbelievable story told as an excuse or explanation.
- Folk Wisdom: Traditional knowledge or practical beliefs preserved informally within a culture.