hearsay
UK: ˈhɪə.seɪ | US: ˈhɪr.seɪ
n. information received from others that cannot be substantiated; rumor or gossip.
The word "hearsay" originates from Middle English heresey, combining "hear" (Old English hieran, meaning to perceive sound) and "say" (Old English secgan, meaning to speak). It literally means "what one hears said." Initially neutral, it evolved to imply unverified or secondhand information, reflecting skepticism about oral testimony in legal contexts by the 16th century. The term captures the chain of communication—information passed from speaker to listener without direct evidence.
The court dismissed the evidence as mere hearsay.
Don’t believe everything you hear; it might just be hearsay.
The rumor spread quickly, but it was only hearsay.
Hearsay is often unreliable in investigative journalism.
She refused to repeat the story, calling it unverified hearsay.