meddle

[ med-l ]

/ ˈmɛd l /

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verb (used without object), med·dled, med·dling.

to involve oneself in a matter without right or invitation; interfere officiously and unwantedly: Stop meddling in my personal life!

Nearby words

medallic, medallion, medallist, medan, medawar, meddle, meddler, meddlesome, meddling, mede, medea

Origin of meddle

1250–1300; Middle English medlen < Old French me(s)dler, variant of mesler (French mêler) < Vulgar Latin *misculāre, frequentative of Latin miscēre to mix

SYNONYMS FOR meddle

intervene, intrude, pry.

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Related forms

med·dler, nounmed·dling·ly, adverbo·ver·med·dle, verb (used without object), o·ver·med·dled, o·ver·med·dling.un·med·dled, adjective

un·med·dling, adjectiveun·med·dling·ly, adverb

Can be confusedmedal meddle metal mettle

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for meddler

The whole story, in which he played the part of a meddler and a fool, was unrolled before him.
The Mayor of Warwick|Herbert M. Hopkins
He had not been fond of the women, nor had he been a meddler and bully.
Their Son; The Necklace|Eduardo Zamacois
The "Meddler" cannot reply to them effectively, and other Boer guns try in vain to reach them.
Four Months Besieged|H. H. S. Pearse
Apparently you would call every person who helps a meddler.'
The Adventures of Elizabeth in Rgen|Elizabeth von Arnim

At length, however, the "Meddler" chimes in, and Captain Christie immediately looses off his two howitzers in succession.
Four Months Besieged|H. H. S. Pearse

British Dictionary definitions for meddler

meddle

/ (ˈmɛdəl) /

verb (intr)

(usually foll by with) to interfere officiously or annoyingly

(usually foll by in) to involve oneself unwarrantedlyto meddle in someone's private affairs

Derived Formsmeddler, nounmeddling, adjectivemeddlingly, adverb

Word Origin for meddle

C14: from Old French medler, ultimately from Latin miscēre to mix

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 meddler (1 of 2)

meddler

late 14c., "practitioner," agent noun from meddle (v.). Meaning "one who interferes, a nuisance" is mid-15c.

Word Origin and History for meddler (1 of 2)

meddle

early 14c., "to mingle, blend, mix," from Old North French medler (Old French mesler, 12c., Modern French mêler) "to mix, mingle, to meddle," from Vulgar Latin *misculare (source of Provençal mesclar, Spanish mezclar, Italian mescolare, meschiare), from Latin miscere "to mix" (see mix (v.)). From late 14c. as "busy oneself, be concerned with, engage in;" also disparagingly "interfere, be officious, make a nuisance of oneself" (the notion is of meddling too much). From mid-14c. to 1700, it also was a euphemism for "have sexual intercourse." Related: Meddled; meddling.

meddle

verb (used without object), med·dled, med·dling.

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Origin of meddle

Examples from the Web for meddler

British Dictionary definitions for meddler

meddle

verb (intr)

Word Origin for meddle

Word Origin and History for meddler (1 of 2)

meddler

Word Origin and History for meddler (1 of 2)

meddle