word of mouth — the passing of information from person to person by oral communication
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: the passing of information from person to person by oral communication
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˌwɜːrd əv ˈmaʊθ/
Example Sentences
- The movie became a hit purely through word of mouth - no fancy advertising needed!
- My grandmother's secret recipe spread by word of mouth, and now half the neighborhood makes her famous cookies.
- Word of mouth is still the most trusted form of advertising.
word of mouth
NOUN[/ˌwɜːrd əv ˈmaʊθ/]
the passing of information from person to person by oral communication

the passing of information from person to person by oral communication

From mouth to south, wisdom flows to eager youth!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This phrase combines 'word' (from Old English 'word', meaning speech or utterance) and 'mouth' (from Old English 'muð', the organ of speech) to create a compound expression. It originated from the literal concept of speech passing directly from one person's mouth to another's ear, eventually referring to informal verbal communication or rumor.
Breakdown
word (speech or utterance) + of (preposition indicating possession/source) + mouth (organ of speech) = speech emanating directly from the mouth, representing unmediated verbal transmission between people.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The movie became a hit purely through word of mouth - no fancy advertising needed!”
“My grandmother's secret recipe spread by word of mouth, and now half the neighborhood makes her famous cookies.”
“Word of mouth is still the most trusted form of advertising.”
“The new pizza place got so busy from word of mouth that they ran out of cheese!”
📚Related Words
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