Word on the street is

Origin

This phrase vividly paints a picture of information traveling through the anonymous channels of urban life, much like whispers carried by the wind down a bustling city street. In dense communities, news—whether true or embellished—spreads rapidly from one person to another, often without a clear source. Before the age of instant digital communication, the "street" was the primary network for informal news, gossip, and public sentiment to circulate. It was the common ground where people met, exchanged pleasantries, and shared tidbits of what was happening in their world. The phrase itself emerged as a way to preface such unverified but widely discussed information, lending an air of shared knowledge and collective experience to whatever followed. It perfectly encapsulates the idea that certain things are simply "out there," known by many, even if no one knows quite how they came to be known.