Early 19th century; earliest use found in Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834), poet, critic, and philosopher. From ear + say interjection, as folk-etymological alteration of hearsay.
Definition of earsay in US English:
earsay
noun
rare
Hearsay.
Origin
Early 19th century; earliest use found in Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834), poet, critic, and philosopher. From ear + say [interjection], as folk-etymological alteration of hearsay.