Everyone talks about things being an old wives’ tale – but what actually is one? That’s what we wanted to know.
An old wives’ tale is perhaps best explained as a traditionally held belief or piece of advice that’s been passed down through generations, usually by word of mouth, and is commonly believed but not necessarily scientifically proven (and quite often actually untrue).
The term originally referred to the idea of elderly women sharing folk wisdom, though today it’s used without implying anything negative about women, it just means folk belief.
Examples:
- “Going outside with wet hair will make you sick.”
- “Cracking your knuckles causes arthritis.”
- “If a pregnant person has heartburn, the baby will have a lot of hair.”
- “Dropping food means someone misses you.”
Some old wives’ tales are harmless or even comforting, and a few happen to be partially true by coincidence, but many don’t hold up when tested scientifically.
