hearsay
/ˈhɪɹˌseɪ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.04 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
Information that was heard by one person about another that cannot be adequately substantiated.
Uncountable
noun
Evidence based on the reports of others, which is normally inadmissible because it was not made under oath, rather than on personal knowledge.
Uncountable
noun
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.
Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "based on hearsay"
- "The story turned out to be nothing but hearsay."
- "dismiss hearsay"
- "The judge ruled the testimony as mere hearsay."
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.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *h₂ew-, hyere-zigginge
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈhɪɹˌseɪ/
- British English: /ˈhɪəseɪ/