thirdhand

Describes information or goods that have passed through two intermediate sources or owners before reaching the current one.

• 🇫🇷Se dit d'informations ou de biens qui sont passés par deux sources ou propriétaires intermédiaires avant d'atteindre l'actuel ; de seconde main au deuxième degré, souvent moins fiable ou usé.

1. Derived from two intermediate sources C1 formal

   Obtained or received after being passed through two intermediate sources, not original or direct.

   • The information was thirdhand, having been relayed by two people before reaching me.
   • He only had thirdhand knowledge of the event, as he heard it from a friend who heard it from someone else.
   • Thirdhand accounts are often less reliable than firsthand observations.

   🇫🇷de troisième main

   Synonymes: derivedindirectmediatedsecondhandunoriginal

   Antonymes: directoriginalprimary

• more thirdhand comparative form
• most thirdhand superlative form

An adverb meaning 'through two intermediate sources' or 'after being passed on twice.' It describes information, news, or goods that have been relayed through two intermediaries, making the original source distant or uncertain.

• 🇫🇷Adverbe signifiant 'par l'intermédiaire de deux sources successives' ou 'après avoir été transmis deux fois'. Décrit des informations, des nouvelles ou des biens qui sont passés par deux intermédiaires, rendant la source originelle lointaine ou incertaine.

1. By doubly indirect means C1 formal

   Received or obtained through two intermediate sources, not directly from the original.

   • I heard the news thirdhand from a friend of a friend.
   • The information was passed down thirdhand, so its accuracy is questionable.
   • He learned the story thirdhand through a series of intermediaries.

   🇫🇷Par ouï-dire indirect

• more thirdhand comparative form
• most thirdhand superlative form