Nearby Words
noun
1.
idle talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others: the endless gossip about Hollywood stars.
2.
light, familiar talk or writing.
3.
Also, gos·sip·er, gos·sip·per. a person given to tattling or idle talk.
4.
Chiefly British Dialect. a godparent.
5.
Archaic. a friend, especially a woman.
verb (used without object)
6.
to talk idly, especially about the affairs of others; go about tattling.
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Gossiper
is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
verb (used with object)
7.
Chiefly British Dialect. to stand godparent to.
8.
Archaic. to repeat like a gossip.
Origin:
before 1050; Middle English gossib, godsib(be), Old English godsibb, orig. godparent, equivalent to god God + sibb related; see sib
before 1050; Middle English gossib, godsib(be), Old English godsibb, orig. godparent, equivalent to god God + sibb related; see sib
Related forms
gos·sip·ing·ly, adverb
in·ter·gos·sip, verb, -siped or -sipped, -sip·ing.
un·gos·sip·ing, adjective
Synonyms
1. small talk, hearsay, palaver, chitchat. Gossip, scandal apply to idle talk and newsmongering about the affairs of others. Gossip is light chat or talk: to trade gossip about the neighbors. Scandal is rumor or general talk that is damaging to reputation; it is usually more or less malicious: The town never lived down the election scandal. 3. chatterer, talker, gabbler, rumormonger. 6. chatter, prattle, prate, palaver.
1. small talk, hearsay, palaver, chitchat. Gossip, scandal apply to idle talk and newsmongering about the affairs of others. Gossip is light chat or talk: to trade gossip about the neighbors. Scandal is rumor or general talk that is damaging to reputation; it is usually more or less malicious: The town never lived down the election scandal. 3. chatterer, talker, gabbler, rumormonger. 6. chatter, prattle, prate, palaver.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
gossip
O.E. godsibb "godparent," from God + sibb "relative" (see sibling). Extended in M.E. to "any familiar acquaintance" (mid-14c.), especially to woman friends invited to attend a birth, later to "anyone engaging in familiar or idle talk" (1560s). Sense extended 1811 to "trifling
EXPANDtalk, groundless rumor." The verb meaning "to talk idly about the affairs of others" is from 1620s.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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