What does "Word on the street" mean?

Unofficial information or rumors circulating among people What people are saying informally, the current rumor or opinion among ordinary people.

How do you use "Word on the street" in a sentence?

Word on the street is they're closing down. What's the word on the street? The word on the street is... According to word on the street.

Word on the street

Slang Term AmericanBritishAustralian ★★★★☆ Common Casual

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Meaning: Unofficial information or rumors circulating among people

街头传闻、小道消息

El rumor/lo que se dice

巷の噂、通りで聞いた話

거리의 소문, 사람들 사이에 도는 이야기

What people are saying informally, the current rumor or opinion among ordinary people.

从公众或非正式来源听到的信息。表示这是传闻，不是证实的事实。

Información escuchada de fuentes públicas o informales. Sugiere que es un rumor, no un hecho confirmado.

公の場や非公式な情報源から聞いた情報。確認された事実ではなく噂であることを示す。

사람들이 비공식적으로 이야기하는 내용, 일반 사람들 사이에 도는 현재의 소문이나 의견을 뜻한다.

Examples

Word on the street is they're closing down.
据说他们要结婚了。
Se dice que se van a casar.
噂では彼らは結婚するらしい。
거리의 소문으로는 그들이 문을 닫는대.
What's the word on the street?
有什么消息吗？
¿Cuál es el rumor?
巷の噂は？
요즘 무슨 소문이 돌아?
The word on the street is...
据说他们要裁员了。
Se dice que van a hacer recortes.
噂ではリストラがあるらしい。
거리의 소문에 의하면...
According to word on the street.
街头传闻是真的吗？
¿El rumor es cierto?
その噂は本当？
거리의 소문에 따르면.

Pronunciation

/wɜːd ɒn ðə striːt/

Usage Guide

Context: news, gossip, social

Tone: informal, conspiratorial

✓ Do Say

Word on the street is...
据说
Se dice
巷の噂では
거리의 소문에 의하면...
What's the word on the street?
消息说
El rumor
噂によると
요즘 무슨 소문이 돌아?
The word on the street.
传闻是
Lo que se dice es
聞いた話では
거리의 소문.

✗ Don't Say

Informal information
可能不准确
Puede no ser preciso
正確でないかも
비공식적인 정보
Not official
只是传闻
Solo rumor
単なる噂
공식적이지 않음

Common Mistakes

Implies unofficial information
May not be reliable

Origin & History

From information circulating among ordinary people on the street, not official channels.

Etymology: From information circulating informally

First recorded: American expression from 20th century

Cultural Context

Era: 20th century onwards

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Hip-hop culture; News media

Regional notes: American origin, now universal.

Variations

Word on the streetThe word on the streetWord on the street is