word-of-mouth
|word-of-mouth|
🇺🇸
/ˌwɝd əv ˈmaʊθ/
🇬🇧
/ˌwɜːd əv ˈmaʊθ/
oral recommendation/spread
Etymology
'word-of-mouth' originates from Old English elements: 'word' (Old English 'word') and 'mouth' (Old English 'mūþ'), with the preposition 'of' from Old English 'of' meaning 'away from' or 'from'.
'word' and 'mouth' have existed since Old English; the phrase 'word of mouth' appears in Middle English texts and developed into the modern hyphenated compound 'word-of-mouth' used attributively.
Initially it meant simply 'by spoken words' or 'from the mouth'; over time it came to be used specifically for information or recommendation transmitted informally between people ('oral recommendation' or 'buzz'), a meaning that has remained stable.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
information, recommendation, or publicity communicated orally from person to person rather than through formal media; informal spoken recommendation (often shortened to 'word of mouth').
The restaurant became popular mostly through word-of-mouth.
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Adjective 1
describing something that is spread or obtained through spoken recommendations or informal oral communication (used attributively, e.g., word-of-mouth marketing).
They ran a successful word-of-mouth marketing campaign.
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Idioms
Last updated: 2025/09/07 02:10