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nosy

or nos·ey

[ noh-zee ]
/ ˈnoʊ zi /
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See synonyms for: nosy / nosiness on Thesaurus.com
adjective, nos·i·er, nos·i·est.
unduly curious about the affairs of others; prying; meddlesome.
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Origin of nosy

First recorded in 1880–85; nose + -y1

OTHER WORDS FROM nosy

nos·i·ly, adverbnos·i·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to nosy

inquisitive, intrusive, meddlesome, eavesdropping, inquisitorial, interested, interfering, intermeddling, personal, searching, snooping, snoopy

How to use nosy in a sentence

  • In fact, nosiness and prying are unbecoming at any time, and in no one more than in a military officer.

    The Armed Forces Officer|U. S. Department of Defense

  • It was best not to rouse any deeper suspicions by openly noticing her wifely nosiness.

    The Junkmakers|Albert R. Teichner

British Dictionary definitions for nosy

nosy

nosey

/ (ˈnəʊzɪ) /
adjective nosier or nosiest
informal prying or inquisitive

Derived forms of nosy

nosily, adverbnosiness, noun
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
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