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

Hearsay allows financial services and insurance companies to use social media and text messaging in a way that complies with industry regulations.

From New York Times • Mar. 7, 2024

Hearsay can be useful, helping to catch disease outbreaks.

From Washington Times • Nov. 25, 2020

"Hearsay puts a lot of people in jail," one Democratic source told Fox News.

From Fox News • Nov. 12, 2019

Hearsay accounts that I furtively asked others about her life away from the office are simply untrue.

From Washington Post • Jan. 25, 2018

Hearsay is not, as a rule, evidence in a court of justice.

From The Reminiscences of Sir Henry Hawkins (Baron Brampton) by Brampton, Henry Hawkins, Baron

Related Words

• gossip