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

History, like gossip, is only interesting if you know the players.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

Hannah said she has respected the Kennedy family’s privacy and, like Schlossberg, condemned “self-serving sensationalists trading in gossip, innuendo and speculation.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

Historically, women who wed royals have faced intense pressure to produce sons and some family members are regular subjects of online and media gossip.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

Williams said he was aware of a certain amount of gossip about Pierce, but never criminal allegations, and told BBC Wales he accepted it was an error to take the report to Lambeth Palace.

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026

I needed to know how far the gossip had run.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Related Words

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