conventional wisdom

American  

noun

1. something that is generally believed; prudence.

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conventional wisdom Idioms  

1. A widely held belief on which most people act. For example, According to conventional wisdom, an incumbent nearly always wins more votes than a new candidate. This term was invented by John Kenneth Galbraith, who used it in The Affluent Society (1958) to describe economic ideas that are familiar, predictable, and therefore accepted by the general public. Today it is used in any context where public opinion has considerable influence on the course of events.

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Etymology

Origin of conventional wisdom

Probably earlier than 1965–70

Example Sentences

"But our observations suggest it is surrounded by a relatively thick blanket of gas, upending conventional wisdom about ultra-short-period planets."

From Science Daily

The conventional wisdom is that it’s safer than a password and more secure than credit cards.

From The Wall Street Journal

For the Final Four and the ultimate winner, they pretty much went with the seeding and conventional wisdom — Duke, Arizona, Michigan and Florida, with Duke eventually winning.

From MarketWatch

Live theater in theme parks can feel like a moving target, as conventional wisdom often argues that today’s smartphone-addled guests are after thrills and more attention-grabbing, interactive experiences.

From Los Angeles Times

Now here’s a piece of conventional wisdom about money that’s worth examining.

From MarketWatch