Hearsay
/ˈhɪərseɪ/
Definitions
Information received from other people that one cannot substantiate; rumor.
/ˈhɪərseɪ/
Unverified information
The prosecution attempted to introduce hearsay evidence.
💡 Simply: Hearsay is like the telephone game of information. It's something you hear from someone else, and they heard it from someone else, so you're not sure if it's actually true. Like, "I heard from a friend that the ice cream shop is giving out free samples, but I haven't seen it myself, so it's just hearsay!"
👶 For kids: Hearsay is when you hear a story from someone, but you don't know if it's true because you didn't see it yourself.
More Examples
She dismissed the gossip as mere hearsay.
The journalist relied on hearsay to write the article.
How It's Used
"Hearsay evidence is often inadmissible in court."
"I heard it through hearsay, so I don't know if it's true."
Idioms & expressions
hearsay rule
A rule of evidence in court that prohibits the use of hearsay.
"The hearsay rule prevents the admission of unreliable testimony in court."
From Middle English herseie, hersaie, 'what is heard', from hear + say.
The term "hearsay" has existed since the Middle English period and initially referred to simply 'what is heard.' Its legal implications developed later.
Memory tip
Think of "hearing a say" without being able to verify it yourself.
Word Origin
"'what is heard'"