klatsch

American  

[klahch, klach] / klɑtʃ, klætʃ /

Or klatch

noun

1. a casual gathering of people, especially for refreshments and informal conversation.

   a sewing klatsch.

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Etymology

Origin of klatsch

First recorded in 1950–55, klatsch is from the German word Klatsch chitchat, gossip

Explanation

A klatsch is a gossipy get-together. Your grandparents might tell you about their weekly coffee klatsch at a local diner, where they chat with friends over cups of decaf. The German Klatsch means "gossip" and is thought to be imitative, based on the chattering sound of gossiping voices. Any casual gathering that's focused on gossiping or catching up on the latest news can be described as a klatsch or a klatch. These events are closely associated with drinking coffee — and there's a word in German for that, too: kaffeeklatsch.

Example Sentences

"He seems to think that I ought to work, and not spend my life talking Klatsch."

From The Benefactress by Elizabeth

When the hostess finds she cannot persuade anyone to eat another cake, she leads her guests back to the drawing-room, and the Klatsch goes on.

From Home Life in Germany by Sidgwick, Alfred, Mrs.

The invitation is precisely the same as for teas, simply substituting the words "Kaffee Klatsch."

From Social Life or, The Manners and Customs of Polite Society by Cooke, Maud C.

Ah, so now you are to have Kaffee Klatsch with the Princess.

From L.P.M. : the end of the Great War by Barney, J. Stewart (John Stewart)