hearsay
Meaning
- (uncountable, usually) Information that was heard by one person about another that cannot be adequately substantiated.
- (uncountable, usually) Evidence based on the reports of others, which is normally inadmissible because it was not made under oath, rather than on personal knowledge.
- (uncountable, usually) 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.
Synonyms
superficial knowledge
irresponsible criticism
verbal message
pick-up knowledge
second-hand knowledge
reported evidential
celebrity
common talk
hearsay evidence
speculation
Translations
Hörensagen
ouï-dire
rumor
gerucht
diceria
φήμηFrequency
Pronounced as (IPA)
/hɪərseɪ/
Etymology
In summary
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.
Notes
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