2 syllables: Hear, say. Stress on Hear.
HEER-say
/ˈhiˌɹseɪ/
Hearsay is pronounced HEER-say (/ˈhiˌɹseɪ/). It has two syllables (Hear-say), with the stress on "Hear". Hearsay is a noun referring to information or rumors that a person has heard but not directly observed or verified. It is commonly discussed in legal contexts but appears in everyday conversation to denote secondhand information. The word stresses the first syllable and is pronounced with a clear contrast between the /h/ onset and the /s/ sounds in the middle, often leading to a softer final vowel. Overall, it denotes information circulated secondhand rather than firsthand testimony.
nounHearsay is a noun referring to information or rumors that a person has heard but not directly observed or verified. It is commonly discussed in legal contexts but appears in everyday conversation to denote secondhand information. The word stresses the first syllable and is pronounced with a clear contrast between the /h/ onset and the /s/ sounds in the middle, often leading to a softer final vowel. Overall, it denotes information circulated secondhand rather than firsthand testimony.
"The lawyer objected to admitting hearsay evidence in court."
"She dismissed the rumor as hearsay and refused to repeat it."
"We shouldn’t rely on hearsay when making policy decisions."
Pronounce it as /ˈhɪərˌseɪ/ (US) or /ˈhɪəˌseɪ/ (UK/AU). The first syllable has primary stress, with a crisp /h/ onset, then a long mid vowel /ɪə/ or /iə/ depending on accent, followed by a clear /s/ and a final /eɪ/. Consider linking the /r/ lightly in American pronunciation. Audio references: pronounce on major dictionaries or pronunciation platforms.
Common errors include omitting the /h/ or misplacing stress on the second syllable, leading to /ˈheərˌseɪ/ or /hɜːrˈseɪ/. Another frequent issue is shrinking the /ɪə/ into a short /ɪ/ or /i:/, producing /ˈhɪrseɪ/. To correct, practice the two-part beat: a clear /h/ + stressed /ɪə/ (or /iə/) then a precise /s/ + /eɪ/ at the syllable boundary. Use minimal pairs and isolate the diphthong with a slight rise in the second nucleus.
In US English, you often hear /ˈhɪrˌseɪ/ with a rhotic /r/ and a more pronounced /ɪr/; UK and AU favor /ˈhɪəˌseɪ/ or /ˈhɪə.sɛɪ/ with a non-rhotic or lightly rhotic R depending on speaker. Australians may produce a broader /ɪə/ that's closer to /iə/ and may keep the /r/ lightly in some speakers. The final /eɪ/ remains a clear diphthong across all varieties. Focus on the nucleus diphthong and the sibilant transition between syllables.
The difficulty lies in the diphthongal nucleus of the first syllable (/ɪə/ or /iə/) and the rapid consonant sequence /r/ + /s/ in the middle, followed by a final /eɪ/. Some speakers reduce the /ɪə/ to /ɪ/ or merge the /r/ with a linking vowel, altering perceived rhythm. Achieve accuracy by exaggerating the middle /r/ and maintaining a clean /s/ before the /eɪ/. Practice with slowed, then speeded repetitions to stabilize tongue positions.
Is the 'r' in Hearsay always pronounced in all dialects? In most American and many Canadian speakers, the /r/ is pronounced (rhotic). In many UK varieties, especially non-rhotic ones, the /r/ is not pronounced unless followed by a vowel, so you may hear a glided /ˈhɪəˌseɪ/ without the postvocalic /r/. Australian speech is typically rhotic but can have a softer or postvocalic coloring depending on the speaker. Check your target audience and adjust accordingly.
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Hearsay traces to Middle English hear (to perceive by hearing) combined with say, forming a compound that literally means what one has heard. The term consolidates legal and everyday usage as a shorthand for information received by hearsay rather than by direct observation. Its earliest uses center around legal discourse, where the admissibility of testimony relies on firsthand evidence, and hearsay is notably excluded or restricted. Over time, the word broadened to general talk about rumors and unverified information. The spelling stabilizes in Modern English, with the hyphenation
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Words that rhyme with "Hearsay"
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