hearsay

American  

[heer-sey] / ˈhɪərˌseɪ /

noun

1. unverified, unofficial information gained or acquired from another and not part of one's direct knowledge.

   I pay no attention to hearsay.

   Synonyms:

   tittle-tattle, babble, scuttlebutt, talk

2. an item of idle or unverified information or gossip; rumor.

   a malicious hearsay.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or characterized by hearsay.

   hearsay knowledge;

   a hearsay report.

hearsay British  

/ ˈhɪəˌseɪ /

noun

1. gossip; rumour

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hearsay Cultural  

1. Information heard by one person about another. Hearsay is generally inadmissible as evidence in a court of law because it is based on the reports of others rather than on the personal knowledge of a witness.

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Etymology

Origin of hearsay

First recorded in 1525–35; originally in phrase by hear say, calque of Middle French par ouïr dire

Explanation

Ever hear someone say something so juicy you decide to tell other people about it, even if you don't know if it's true or not? Admit it. That hearsay, or gossip, is precisely how rumors get started. Hearsay is one of those awesome words that tell us its definition right up front. You don't have to figure it out by hearsay, or word of mouth, the definition is right there — when you hear someone say a rumor, that's hearsay.

Example Sentences

He dismissed statements from prosecution witnesses as "assumption layered upon hearsay" and urged the judging panel to give them "negligible evidentiary weight".

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

The judge said hearsay evidence could be considered, but jurors should be "careful" as it had not been given under oath and should "not convict the defendant mainly in reliance on it."

From BBC • Jan. 26, 2026

It will be fueled by correspondence, hearsay and accusations of the type that only law enforcement can compel and collect, and that are as a result usually kept private absent formal legal proceedings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 20, 2025

At the start of the war, we knew we had to document very carefully what was happening, because without that, everything would be hearsay and speculation.

From Slate • Aug. 28, 2025

But it comes to me now as distant hearsay, which is a gift.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

Related Words

• gossip