word of mouth

American  

noun

1. informal oral communication.

   The rumor spread rapidly by word of mouth.

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Other Word Forms

• word-of-mouth adjective

Etymology

Origin of word of mouth

First recorded in 1545–55

Example Sentences

That’s why it pays to identify aides through word of mouth who, even if they are not available now, might be available later.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

Radio airplay, strong word of mouth, glossy production and a slick cover that looked like an upscale fragrance ad helped the record sell a million copies by September 1976.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

"It's just word of mouth," said Musab, 34, an entrepreneur.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

Ms Worthington said she heard about the registration day by word of mouth, and started queueing before the practice opened at 08:00 BST.

From BBC • Jan. 2, 2026

It also holds for restaurants, movies, fashion trends, or anything else that moves by word of mouth.

From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell