- a variation of rumor.
rumour
Britishnoun
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information, often a mixture of truth and untruth, passed around verbally
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( in combination )
a rumour-monger
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gossip or hearsay
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archaic din or clamour
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obsolete fame or reputation
verb
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(tr; usually passive) to pass around or circulate in the form of a rumour
it is rumoured that the Queen is coming
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literary to make or cause to make a murmuring noise
Etymology
Origin of rumour
C14: via Old French from Latin rūmor common talk; related to Old Norse rymja to roar, Sanskrit rāut he cries
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Treasury declined to comment on "rumour and speculation".
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
When Fatima Zahra heard the rumour of a rare border opening between Morocco and Spain, she joined thousands in rushing to attempt a perilous journey into the Ceuta enclave by land or sea.
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
Clement’s lawyer said in a statement that the report found against her “on the pretext of ‘perception,’ the source of which was rumour, gossip and innuendo.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
"You were right to call this a rumour, to speak of speculation -- and that's why I won't comment on it," a tense-looking Stefan Kornelius responded to a journalist's question.
From Barron's ● May 29, 2026
The others pressed on, but he was ever hindmost, pursued by a groping horror that seemed always just about to seize him; and a rumour came after him like the shadow-sound of many feet.
From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
