hearsay

[ heer-sey ]
/ ˈhɪərˌseɪ /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR hearsay ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

unverified, unofficial information gained or acquired from another and not part of one's direct knowledge: I pay no attention to hearsay.
an item of idle or unverified information or gossip; rumor: a malicious hearsay.

adjective

of, relating to, or characterized by hearsay: hearsay knowledge; a hearsay report.

Origin of hearsay

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

Words nearby hearsay

hearing loss, hearing-ear dog, hearing-impaired, hearken, hearn, hearsay, hearsay evidence, hearsay rule, hearse, hearst, hearst, william randolph

Words related to hearsay

gossip, comment, noise, grapevine, leak, cry, rumble, scuttlebutt, rumor, report, scandal, talk, clothesline

Example sentences from the Web for hearsay

British Dictionary definitions for hearsay

hearsay
/ (ˈhɪəˌseɪ) /

noun

gossip; rumour

Cultural definitions for hearsay

hearsay

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.