grapevine

noun

grape·​vine ˈgrāp-ˌvīn 

1

: grape sense 2

2

a

: an informal person-to-person means of circulating information or gossip

heard it through the grapevine

b

: a secret source of information

Examples of grapevine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Before that, the Russian Empire’s ineffective tackling of grape phylloxera – an aphid-like pest which feeds on grapevine roots – caused great loss in Ukraine, as elsewhere in 19th-century Europe. —Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 17 Nov. 2025

Estimates vary, but reports indicate there are some 10,000 distinct grapevine varieties cultivated worldwide. —Daryl Austin, USA Today, 16 Nov. 2025

Along the shores of Grand Traverse Bay in northern Michigan are vineyards lined with neat rows of grapevines. —Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 6 Nov. 2025

His presence fortified the trail’s grapevine, with both hikers and people who live in the small towns that line the AT sharing news of his movements. —Grayson Haver Currin, Outside, 30 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1736, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for grapevine

• acridine
• alkaline
• andesine
• anodyne
• anticline
• arginine
• asinine
• atropine
• benzidine
• borderline
• byzantine
• calamine

Kids Definition

grapevine

noun

grape·​vine ˈgrāp-ˌvīn 

1

: grape sense 2

2

: an unofficial means of spreading information or gossip from person to person

Geographical Definition

Grapevine

geographical name

Grape·​vine ˈgrāp-ˌvīn 

city in northern Texas northeast of Fort Worth population 46,334