/hear"say'/ , n.
1. unverified, unofficial information gained or acquired from another and not part of one's direct knowledge: I pay no attention to hearsay.
2. an item of idle or unverified information or gossip; rumor: a malicious hearsay.
adj.
3. of, pertaining to, or characterized by hearsay: hearsay knowledge; a hearsay report.
[ 1525-35; orig. in phrase by hear say, trans. of MF par ouïr dire ]
Syn. 1. talk, scuttlebutt, babble, tittle-tattle.