Rumor vs Myth - What's the difference?
rumor | myth |
(US, countable) A statement or claim of questionable accuracy, from no known reliable source, usually spread by word of mouth.
(US, uncountable) Information or misinformation of the kind contained in such claims.
(transitive, usually, used in the passive voice) To tell a rumor about; to gossip.
A traditional story which embodies a belief regarding some fact or phenomenon of experience, and in which often the forces of nature and of the soul are personified; a sacred narrative regarding a god, a hero, the origin of the world or of a people, etc.
(uncountable) Such stories as a genre.
A commonly-held but false belief, a common misconception; a fictitious or imaginary person or thing; a popular conception about a real person or event which exaggerates or idealizes reality.
A person or thing held in excessive or quasi-religious awe or admiration based on popular legend
A person or thing existing only in imagination, or whose actual existence is not verifiable.
* Ld. Lytton
As nouns the difference between rumor and myth
is that rumor is a statement or claim of questionable accuracy, from no known reliable source, usually spread by word of mouth while myth is a traditional story which embodies a belief regarding some fact or phenomenon of experience, and in which often the forces of nature and of the soul are personified; a sacred narrative regarding a god, a hero, the origin of the world or of a people, etc.As a verb rumor
is to tell a rumor about; to gossip.rumor
English
Alternative forms
* rumour (UK, Commonwealth, International)Noun
- There's a rumor going round that he's going to get married.
- They say he used to be a thief, but that's just rumor .
Synonyms
* (piece of information) * (information) gossip, hearsay, talk, tittle-tattleDerived terms
* rumor campaign * rumor has itHypernyms
* informationVerb
(en verb)- John is rumored to be next in line for a promotion.
myth
English
Alternative forms
* mythe (rare or archaic)Noun
(en noun)- Myth was the product of man's emotion and imagination, acted upon by his surroundings.'' (E. Clodd, ''Myths & Dreams (1885), 7, cited after OED)
- Father Flanagan was legendary, his institution an American myth. (Tucson (Arizona) Citizen, 20 September 1979, 5A/3, cited after OED)
- As for Mrs. Primmins's bones, they had been myths these twenty years.