# word on the wire

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/word-on-the-wire
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

The rumour or news going around on the internet, in business, on the street, or in social circles.

## Examples

- The word on the wire is that the store is closing.
- I heard the word on the wire that our manager might be leaving soon.
- The word on the wire among the local residents is that a new park will be built where the old factory stands.
- Despite the official silence from the company, the word on the wire suggests that a major merger is imminent.

## Origin

The phrase likely emerged as a digital variation of *word on the street*, appearing once internet communications became a fixture of daily life for the general public. While it is possible the term occurred sporadically in the era of telegraphic wire services, it did not achieve any measurable currency before the early years of the consumer internet. Its tenure in the English lexicon proved brief. The expression enjoyed its greatest use during that specific transitional period but has maintained very little currency since the initial internet era passed into something more permanent. (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.