old wine in a new bottle

English

Alternative forms

old wine in new bottles

Etymology

A reference to the parable of Jesus of New Wine into Old Wineskins, Matthew 9:14–17, Mark 2:21–22, and Luke 5:33–39:

Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

Matthew 9:17, King James Version

And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.

Mark 2:22, King James Version

And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.

Luke 5:37, King James Version

Noun

old wine in a new bottle (uncountable)

(idiomatic) An existing concept or institution offered as though it were a new one.
- 2003, Stephen M Colarelli, No Best Way:
  Finally, some critics argue that evolutionary psychology is old wine in a new bottle — the old instinct theory in a new package.

Translations

existing concept or institution presented as if new