noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈhɪəseɪ/
Canada, General-American:/ˈhɪɹˌseɪ/
California:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Canada:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australian:/ˈhɪəsæɪ/
CMU ARPABET:HH IY1 R S EY2
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Information that was heard by one person about another that cannot be adequately substantiated.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
Examples
based on hearsay
The story turned out to be nothing but hearsay.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Evidence based on the reports of others, which is normally inadmissible because it was not made under oath, rather than on personal knowledge.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
Topics: law
Examples
dismiss hearsay
The judge ruled the testimony as mere hearsay.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
An out-of-court statement offered in court to prove the truth of the matter asserted (or the in-court testimony which recites such a statement), which is normally inadmissible (because it is not subject to cross-examination) unless it falls under one of a number of exceptions.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
Topics: law
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adjective satellite
Meaning 4
heard through another rather than directly
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
hearsay information
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
gossip (usually a mixture of truth and untruth) passed around by word of mouth
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: rumor, rumour
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: gossip, comment, scuttlebutt
History
Etymology
From Middle English hyere-zigginge (1340), here sey (ca. 1438), from the phrase heren seien (“to hear [people] say”). Compare equally old Middle High German hœrsagen (14th c.), whence modern Hörensagen.
Across languages
Translations
77 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Central Bikol:
huring-huding
— information that was heard by one person about another
Bulgarian:
слух
(sluh)
— information that was heard by one person about another
Bulgarian:
мълва́
(mǎlvá)
— information that was heard by one person about another
Chinese Mandarin:
傳聞 /传闻
(chuánwén)
— information that was heard by one person about another
Chinese Mandarin:
風聞 /风闻
(fēngwén)
— information that was heard by one person about another
Chinese Mandarin:
流言
(liúyán)
— information that was heard by one person about another
Czech:
klep
— information that was heard by one person about another
Czech:
pověsti
— information that was heard by one person about another
Czech:
doslech
— information that was heard by one person about another
Czech:
zvěst z doslechu
— information that was heard by one person about another
Dutch:
van horen zeggen
— information that was heard by one person about another
Dutch:
gerucht
— information that was heard by one person about another
Finnish:
juoru
— information that was heard by one person about another
Finnish:
kuulopuhe
— information that was heard by one person about another
French:
ouï-dire
— information that was heard by one person about another
French:
on-dit
— information that was heard by one person about another
French:
rumeur
— information that was heard by one person about another
German:
Hörensagen
— information that was heard by one person about another
German:
Gerücht
— information that was heard by one person about another
Hungarian:
hallomás
— information that was heard by one person about another
Hungarian:
mendemonda
— information that was heard by one person about another
Irish:
scéal scéil
— information that was heard by one person about another
Italian:
sentito dire
— information that was heard by one person about another
Italian:
diceria
— information that was heard by one person about another
Italian:
pettegolezzo
— information that was heard by one person about another
Japanese:
伝聞
(denbun)
— information that was heard by one person about another
Japanese:
うわさ
(uwasa)
— information that was heard by one person about another
Korean:
전문
(jeonmun)
— information that was heard by one person about another
Korean:
소문
(somun)
— information that was heard by one person about another
Latin:
audītiō
— information that was heard by one person about another
Latin:
rūmor
— information that was heard by one person about another
Macedonian:
слух
(sluh)
— information that was heard by one person about another
Macedonian:
гла́сина
(glásina)
— information that was heard by one person about another
Māori:
tūtara
— information that was heard by one person about another
Navajo:
jiní jiní
— information that was heard by one person about another
Norwegian Bokmål:
rykte
— information that was heard by one person about another
Persian:
شنیده
(šenide)
— information that was heard by one person about another
Polish:
pogłoska
— information that was heard by one person about another
Polish:
plotka
— information that was heard by one person about another
Portuguese:
diz que diz
— information that was heard by one person about another
Portuguese:
diz que diz que
— information that was heard by one person about another
Portuguese:
boato
— information that was heard by one person about another
Russian:
информа́ция из вторы́х рук
(informácija iz vtorýx ruk)
— information that was heard by one person about another
Russian:
молва́
(molvá)
— information that was heard by one person about another
Russian:
слух
(slux)
— information that was heard by one person about another
Russian:
то́лки
(tólki)
— information that was heard by one person about another
Scottish Gaelic:
fathann
— information that was heard by one person about another
Spanish:
rumores
— information that was heard by one person about another
Spanish:
habladurías
— information that was heard by one person about another
Spanish:
habladuría
— information that was heard by one person about another
Swedish:
hörsägen
— information that was heard by one person about another
Tagalog:
sabi-sabi
— information that was heard by one person about another
Tagalog:
kuwentong-barbero
— information that was heard by one person about another
Ottoman Turkish:
تواتر
(tevâtür)
— information that was heard by one person about another
Welsh:
achlust
— information that was heard by one person about another
Chinese Mandarin:
傳聞證據 /传闻证据
(chuánwén zhèngjù)
— (law) evidence based on the reports of others rather than on personal knowledge
Dutch:
testimonium de auditu
— (law) evidence based on the reports of others rather than on personal knowledge
Finnish:
kuulopuhe
— (law) evidence based on the reports of others rather than on personal knowledge
French:
ouï-dire
— (law) evidence based on the reports of others rather than on personal knowledge
French:
on-dit
— (law) evidence based on the reports of others rather than on personal knowledge
Georgian:
ჩვენება სხვისი ნათქვამიდან
(čveneba sxvisi natkvamidan)
— (law) evidence based on the reports of others rather than on personal knowledge
Georgian:
ჩვენება, დაფუძნებული გაგონილზე
(čveneba, dapuʒnebuli gagonilze)
— (law) evidence based on the reports of others rather than on personal knowledge
Georgian:
სხვის სიტყვებზე დამყარებული ჩვენება
(sxvis siṭq̇vebze damq̇arebuli čveneba)
— (law) evidence based on the reports of others rather than on personal knowledge
Georgian:
ჩვენება სხვისი სიტყვების მიხედვით
(čveneba sxvisi siṭq̇vebis mixedvit)
— (law) evidence based on the reports of others rather than on personal knowledge
German:
Hörensagen
— (law) evidence based on the reports of others rather than on personal knowledge
Irish:
scéal scéil
— (law) evidence based on the reports of others rather than on personal knowledge
Italian:
sentita persona
— (law) evidence based on the reports of others rather than on personal knowledge
Japanese:
伝聞証拠
(denbun shōko)
— (law) evidence based on the reports of others rather than on personal knowledge
Korean:
전문증거
(jeonmunjeunggeo)
— (law) evidence based on the reports of others rather than on personal knowledge
Polish:
pogłoska
— (law) evidence based on the reports of others rather than on personal knowledge
Portuguese:
testemunho de ouvidos
— (law) evidence based on the reports of others rather than on personal knowledge
Russian:
показа́ния с чужи́х слов
(pokazánija s čužíx slov)
— (law) evidence based on the reports of others rather than on personal knowledge
Spanish:
pruebas de oídas
— (law) evidence based on the reports of others rather than on personal knowledge
Spanish:
testimonio de oídas
— (law) evidence based on the reports of others rather than on personal knowledge
Spanish:
evidencia por oídas
— (law) evidence based on the reports of others rather than on personal knowledge
Dutch:
de-audituverklaring
— (law) an out-of-court statement offered in court for the truth of the matter asserted
French:
ouï-dire
— (law) an out-of-court statement offered in court for the truth of the matter asserted
