nosy

Or nos·ey

[noh-zee]

adjective

nosier, nosiest 

1. unduly curious about the affairs of others; prying; meddlesome.

nosy

/ ˈnəʊzɪ /

adjective

1. informal,  prying or inquisitive

Other Word Forms

• nosily adverb
• nosiness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of nosy¹

First recorded in 1880–85; nose + -y ¹

Example Sentences

I took that as editorial permission to be nosy.

From Salon

Nextdoor, once dubbed the “anti-Facebook” for its quaint local posts, also garnered a reputation as a “Twitter for old people,” where nosy neighbors constantly complain.

From Los Angeles Times

I was a culinary raccoon: nosy, impulsive, endlessly compelled to paw at things that might have been better left alone.

From Salon

Not only am I a journalist, but I’m a film critic, and I’m both of those things because I’m extremely nosy and because I want to make the world a better, more beautiful place.

From Salon

He would want us to be analytical and good-natured, maybe even a little nosy; not just tolerant, but actively welcoming.

From Salon

Related Words

• inquisitive 
• intrusive 
• meddlesome 

When To Use

What does nosy mean?

Nosy is used to describe someone who asks too many questions about or otherwise pries into other people’s business because they are overly curious about it. It’s especially used to describe someone who does this all the time.A much less common spelling of nosy is nosey.The related phrasal verbs nose in and stick one’s nose in mean to get into other people’s business—to pry or snoop.People who are considered nosy are known for prying, snooping, asking overly personal questions, eavesdropping (listening to other people’s conversations), and generally nosing into other people’s business.Nosy can also be used to describe such a person’s behavior and the kinds of questions they ask, as in I ignored all of his nosy questions about my medical history. Although the term implies a lack of respect for other people’s privacy, calling someone nosy is usually only mildly negative and is often somewhat playful. It’s not usually used in situations that involve serious or harmful violations of privacy.The word is sometimes used to address or refer to someone as a way of saying that they are nosy, as in Hey, nosy, quit looking in my notebook. Example: My neighbor is as nosy as they get—she always asks where I’m going when I leave and where I’ve been when I get back!