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word of mouth
/ˌwɜːrd əv ˈmaʊθ/
oral communication
The restaurant's success is due to positive word of mouth from satisfied customers.
The restaurant became popular because happy customers told others about it.
neutral
Information passed from person to person through verbal communication rather than formal advertising
Small businesses often rely on word of mouth to attract new customers.
Local shops depend on customers recommending them to friends.
The movie gained attention through word of mouth about its surprising twist ending.
People told each other about the movie's exciting plot, making it popular.
The phrase emphasizes informal, personal communication as a marketing channel.
Collocations
spread by word of mouthto become widely known through personal communicationrely on word of mouthto depend on informal recommendationsgenerate word of mouthto create positive informal publicity
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Business Context
In marketing, 'word of mouth' is considered the most trusted form of advertising because it comes from personal experience rather than paid promotion.
Gold Rule
Hyphenation Rule
When 'word of mouth' is used as a compound adjective before a noun, it requires hyphens: 'word-of-mouth recommendation'.
Word Origin
The phrase combines 'word' (from Old English 'word' meaning speech) and 'mouth' (from Old English 'mūþ' meaning oral cavity). The expression dates back to the 16th century, originally used literally before developing its figurative meaning in marketing contexts.
Usage Notes
Commonly used in business and marketing to describe customer-driven promotion. The phrase is always hyphenated when used as a modifier (e.g., 'word-of-mouth marketing').
Word Breakdown
word
spoken information or message
nounof
indicating possession or origin
prepositionmouth
oral communication
nounEnglish Dictionary