French word

rumeur

Pronunciation

IPA/ʁymœʁ/

Meaning

  • feminine nounrumor

Example

As-tu entendu la rumeur ?

Have you heard the rumor?

Illustration for rumeur (rumor)

More examples

Ils ont dû démentir la rumeur.

They had to deny the rumor.

Core concept

A loose message moves through a crowd and invites guesses about people or events.

Common phrases

  • démentir une rumeur

    deny a rumor

  • faire courir une rumeur

    spread a rumor

  • une rumeur infondée

    an unfounded rumor

Similar words

bruit: A vague rumor heard through informal channels.
ragot: Gossip that often spreads details about someone's faults or private life.
potin: Light gossip about small events in everyday life.

Definition in French

Message ou récit non confirmé qui se propage et suscite des suppositions à propos d'événements ou de personnes.

Word origin

The French noun rumeur continues Latin rumor, which referred to noise or public talk before acquiring its modern sense of circulating unconfirmed information.

Usage tips

  • French commonly uses rumeur with selon laquelle to introduce its content, as in une rumeur selon laquelle il démissionne.

Opposites

Word lists with this word