Origin: before 1050;Middle Englishgossib, godsib(be), Old Englishgodsibb, orig. godparent, equivalent to godGod + sibb related; see sib
Related forms
gos·sip·ing·ly, adverb
in·ter·gos·sip, verb, in·ter·gos·siped or in·ter·gos·sipped, in·ter·gos·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.
casual and idle chat: to have a gossip with a friend
2.
a conversation involving malicious chatter or rumours about other people: a gossip about the neighbours
3.
Also called: gossipmonger a person who habitually talks about others, esp maliciously
4.
light easy communication: to write a letter full of gossip
5.
archaic a close woman friend
—vb (often foll by about) , -sips, -siping, -siped
6.
to talk casually or maliciously (about other people)
[Old English godsibb godparent, from god + sib; the term came to be applied to familiar friends, esp a woman's female friends at the birth of a child, hence a person, esp a woman, fond of light talk]
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
talk, groundless rumor." The verb meaning "to talk idly about the affairs of others" is from 1620s.