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

Adams' lawyers have argued the case is based on "an assortment of hearsay" and that it has been brought several decades too late.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

His defence team countered that Duterte had murdered no one and that the prosecution's argument was based on "hearsay" and "conjecture", falling far short of the bar needed to confirm the charges against him.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 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

There is no judge present, and all kinds of material forbidden at trial—including hearsay and illegally obtained evidence—may be presented.

From Slate • Sep. 4, 2025

To separate the facts from the hearsay contained in the bureau’s case files, White settled upon a simple but elegant approach: he would methodically try to corroborate each suspect’s alibi.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Related Words

• gossip