rumour

From Old French rumeur, from Latin rūmor (“common talk”).

• * (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɹuːmə(ɹ)/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɹuːmɚ/

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rumour (countable and uncountable, plural rumours)

1. Britain, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Ireland spelling of rumor
   • 1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 16]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare & Co.; Sylvia Beach, OCLC 560090630; republished London: Published for the Egoist Press, London by John Rodker, Paris, October 1922, OCLC 2297483:

     Rumour had it (though not proved) that she descended from the house of the lords Talbot de Malahide

   • 1922, Michael Arlen, “1/1/2”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days‎:

     There were rumours, new rumours every morning, delightful and outrageous rumours, so that the lumps in the porridge were swallowed without comment and the fish-cakes were eaten without contumely.

   • 1991, Stephen Fry, The Liar, p. 26:

     Dame Rumour outstrides me yet again.

2. (obsolete) A prolonged, indistinct noise.
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, JC II. iv. 18:

     Prithee, listen well; / I heard a bustling rumour like a fray, / And the wind brings it from the Capitol.

rumour (third-person singular simple present rumours, present participle rumouring, simple past and past participle rumoured)

1. Commonwealth of Nations standard spelling of rumor.