This text aims at providing an overview of the scientific treatment of rumour. By tracing the outlines of the history of scientific work devoted to this topic, it becomes apparent that rumours have accompanied the main currents and debates that have been the driving force in the social sciences over the past half-century, and, as a result, have never been given an established sociological status. Furthermore, the lack of scientific definition has fostered a multidisciplinary interest in this object, which has continued up to the present time. Starting with the last generation of works published on the topic, the author attempts to detect the most recent points of agreement that might form a new phase in the study of rumour.