gossip

[ gos-uhp ]
See synonyms for: gossipgossipedgossiping on Thesaurus.com

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.

  1. Also gos·sip·er, gos·sip·per. a person given to tattling or idle talk.

  2. Chiefly British Dialect. a godparent.

  3. Archaic. a friend, especially a woman.

verb (used without object),gos·siped or gos·sipped, gos·sip·ing or gos·sip·ping.
  1. to talk idly, especially about the affairs of others; go about tattling.

verb (used with object),gos·siped or gos·sipped, gos·sip·ing or gos·sip·ping.
  1. Chiefly British Dialect. to stand godparent to.

  2. Archaic. to repeat like a gossip.

Origin of gossip

1
First recorded before 1050; Middle English gossib, godsib(be), Old English godsibb, originally “godparent,” equivalent to god + sibb “related”; see origin at god, sib

synonym study For gossip

1. 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.

Other words for gossip

Other words from gossip

  • 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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use gossip in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for gossip

gossip1

/ (ˈɡɒsɪp) /


noun
  1. 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

  1. Also called: gossipmonger a person who habitually talks about others, esp maliciously

  2. light easy communication: to write a letter full of gossip

  3. archaic a close woman friend

verb-sips, -siping or -siped
  1. (intr often foll by about) to talk casually or maliciously (about other people)

Origin of gossip

1
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

Derived forms of gossip

  • gossiper, noun
  • gossiping, noun, adjective
  • gossipingly, adverb
  • gossipy, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012