a traditional belief, story, or idea that is often of a superstitious nature.
Origin
1670-80
Examples from the web for old wives' tale
For several decades, scientists have believed what the old wives' tale has always declared: that chicken soup is good for colds.
And that, according to a local old wives' tale, was a sure sign they were to be wed.
Eating carrots to improve eyesight is an old wives' tale that's off base.
When they made camp that night, they laid a rope all the way around it following an old wives' tale.
British Dictionary definitions for old wives' tale
old wives' tale
noun
1.
a belief, usually superstitious or erroneous, passed on by word of mouth as a piece of traditional wisdom
Idioms and Phrases with old wives' tale
old wives' tale
A superstition, as in Toads cause warts? That's an old wives' tale. This expression was already known in ancient Greece, and a version in English was recorded in 1387. Despite invoking bigoted stereotypes of women and old people, it survives.