What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Tale vs Rumor - What's the difference?

tale | rumor |

As nouns the difference between tale and rumor

is that tale is (de-form-noun) while rumor is (us|countable) a statement or claim of questionable accuracy, from no known reliable source, usually spread by word of mouth.

As a verb rumor is

(transitive|usually|used in the passive voice) to tell a rumor about; to gossip.

tale

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl), from (etyl) . Related to tell, talk.

Noun

(en noun)
  • (obsolete) Number.
  • (obsolete) Account; estimation; regard; heed.
  • (obsolete) Speech; language.
  • (obsolete) A speech; a statement; talk; conversation; discourse.
  • (legal, obsolete) A count; declaration.
  • (rare, or, archaic) Numbering; enumeration; reckoning; account; count.
  • * (John Dryden)
    • Both number twice a day the milky dams; And once she takes the tale of all the lambs.
  • (rare, or, archaic) A number of things considered as an aggregate; sum.
  • (rare, or, archaic) A report of any matter; a relation; a version.
  • An account of an asserted fact or circumstance; a rumour; a report, especially an idle or malicious story; a piece of gossip or slander; a lie.
  • * , chapter=7
    • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=“A very welcome, kind, useful present, that means to the parish. By the way, Hopkins, let this go no further. We don't want the tale running round that a rich person has arrived. Churchill, my dear fellow, we have such greedy sharks, and wolves in lamb's clothing. […]”}}
  • A rehearsal of what has occurred; narrative; discourse; statement; history; story.
  • A number told or counted off; a reckoning by count; an enumeration.
  • * Hooker
    • the ignorant, who measure by tale , and not by weight
  • * Milton
    • And every shepherd tells his tale , / Under the hawthorn in the dale.
  • * Carew
    • In packing, they keep a just tale of the number.
  • * 1843 (Thomas Carlyle), '', book 2, ch. 5, ''Twelfth Century
    • They proceeded with some rigour, these Custodiars; took written inventories, clapt-on seals, exacted everywhere strict tale and measure
  • (slang) The fraudulent opportunity presented by a confidence man to the mark (sense 3.3) of a confidence game.
    • Derived terms
    * fairy tale / fairytale * folk tale / folktale * (l) * (l) * (l) * (l) * tall tale * telltale * tell tales * tell tales out of school

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) talen, from (etyl) .

    Verb

    (tal)
  • (dialectal, or, obsolete) To speak; discourse; tell tales.
  • (dialectal, chiefly, Scotland) To reckon; consider (someone) to have something.

    • Etymology 3

    Noun

    (en noun)

    • Anagrams

    * ----

    rumor

    English

    Alternative forms

    * rumour (UK, Commonwealth, International)

    Noun

  • (US, countable) A statement or claim of questionable accuracy, from no known reliable source, usually spread by word of mouth.
    • There's a rumor going round that he's going to get married.
  • (US, uncountable) Information or misinformation of the kind contained in such claims.
    • They say he used to be a thief, but that's just rumor .

    Synonyms

    * (piece of information) * (information) gossip, hearsay, talk, tittle-tattle

    Derived terms

    * rumor campaign * rumor has it

    Hypernyms

    * information

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (transitive, usually, used in the passive voice) To tell a rumor about; to gossip.
    • John is rumored to be next in line for a promotion.
    ----