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definitions

gossip

[ gos-uhp ]
/ ˈgɒs əp /
||

noun

verb (used without object), gos·siped or gos·sipped, gos·sip·ing or gos·sip·ping.

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.

Chiefly British Dialect. to stand godparent to.
Archaic. to repeat like a gossip.

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RELATED WORDS

scandal, hearsay, chitchat, tale, conversation, slander, buzz, news, chatter, blab, blather, account, prate, chronicle, grapevine, defamation, cry, story, meddling, babble

Nearby words

  1. gossaert, jan,
  2. gossamer,
  3. gossan,
  4. gosse,
  5. gosse, sir edmund william,
  6. gossipmonger,
  7. gossipy,
  8. gossoon,
  9. gossypol,
  10. gossypose

Origin of gossip

before 1050; Middle English gossib, godsib(be), Old English godsibb, orig. godparent, equivalent to god God + sibb related; see sib
SYNONYMS FOR gossip
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.
Related formsgos·sip·ing·ly, adverbin·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. 2019

Examples from the Web for gossipping

British Dictionary definitions for gossipping

gossip

1
/ (ˈɡɒsɪp) /

noun

casual and idle chatto have a gossip with a friend
a conversation involving malicious chatter or rumours about other peoplea gossip about the neighbours
Also called: gossipmonger a person who habitually talks about others, esp maliciously
light easy communicationto write a letter full of gossip
archaic a close woman friend

verb -sips, -siping or -siped

(intr often foll by about) to talk casually or maliciously (about other people)
Derived Formsgossiper, noungossiping, noun, adjectivegossipingly, adverbgossipy, adjective

Word Origin for gossip

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
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
Word Origin and History for gossipping
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper