gossip

American  

[gos-uhp] / ˈgɒs əp /

noun

1. idle talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others.

   the endless gossip about Hollywood stars.

   Synonyms:

   chitchat, palaver, hearsay, small talk

2. light, familiar talk or writing.

3. Also gossiper, gossipper. a person given to tattling or idle talk.

   Synonyms:

   rumormonger, chatterer

4. Chiefly British Dialect. a godparent.

5. Archaic. a friend, especially a woman.

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verb (used without object)

gossiped, gossipped, gossiping, gossipping

1. to talk idly, especially about the affairs of others; go about tattling.

   Synonyms:

   palaver, prate, prattle, chatter

verb (used with object)

gossiped, gossipped, gossiping, gossipping

1. Chiefly British Dialect. to stand godparent to.

2. Archaic. to repeat like a gossip.

gossip British  

/ 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

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

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verb

1. to talk casually or maliciously (about other people)

Related Words

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 Word Forms

• gossiper noun
• gossiping noun
• gossipingly adverb
• gossipy adjective
• intergossip verb
• ungossiping adjective

Etymology

Origin of gossip

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

Example Sentences

Pass along news, gossip or boast away, and others respond on their own time.

From The Wall Street Journal

With a major role in Josh Safdie’s madcap ping-pong riot, “Marty Supreme,” Paltrow is rounding out the year with a bang, earning her last laugh against gossip hounds and Goop critics.

From Salon

They would also often meet for dinner, sometimes lavish meals, gossiping and bantering over dim sum, pizza or claypot rice.

From BBC

Then there are the big things that are off, like Nina’s wild mood swings and the vicious gossip about her mental health among the other Stepford wives of the area.

From Los Angeles Times

One of its popular synthetic hosts is Vivian Steele, an AI celebrity gossip columnist with a sassy voice and a sharp tongue.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• buzz
• chatter
• chitchat
• conversation
• hearsay
• news
• scandal
• slander
• tale