rumor

USROO-mur/ˈɹumɚ/UKROO-muh/ˈɹuːmə(ɹ)/

Pluralrumors

Verbrumors, rumoring, rumored

UK spellingrumour

5 meanings of rumor

1
story (maybe false)nouncountable
An unproven story, or talk of that kind, that people pass around without a trusted source.
Like a story passed from one person to the next that might not be true.
A rumor spread through the office that the company was closing.
Rumor has it that the shop will close in the spring.
Similarreport, story, whisper, tale
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2
spread storiesverbtransitive
To spread unproven stories about a person or thing.
Like telling a story about someone before anyone knows if it's true.
People rumor all sorts of things about famous actors.
Neighbors rumored a feud between the two families.
Note
3
news of eventsnounarchaicuncountable
Talk or news about what is happening in the world.
Like word getting around about what's happening far away.
Rumor of the king's return reached the village by nightfall.
It stands a city aloof. There hath been no rumour of it—I alone have dreamed of it, and I may not be sure that my dreams are true.
1906, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], Time and the GodsHere, rumour means news or word, so no one had heard anything of it.
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Less common meanings

4
famenounobsoleteuncountable
The good name or fame that someone is known for.
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5
crowd noisenounobsoleteuncountable
Loud noise and shouting made by a crowd.
Like the roar of a big crowd at a game.
The rumor of the crowd filled the great hall.
A sudden rumor rose from the streets below.
Note

Use it in a sentence

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Origin

It came from Latin rumor, meaning "common talk," through Old French and Middle English.