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View synonyms for nosy

nosy

or nos·ey

[ noh-zee ]

adjective

, nos·i·er, nos·i·est.
  1. unduly curious about the affairs of others; prying; meddlesome.


nosy

/ ˈnəʊzɪ /

adjective

  1. informal.
    prying or inquisitive
“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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Derived Forms

  • ˈnosily, adverb
  • ˈnosiness, noun
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Other Words From

  • nosi·ly adverb
  • nosi·ness noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of nosy1

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

Agatha’s mental wall dropping and letting Billy in proves she has made great strides to being more than just the nosy neighbor with a rune-laden cave in her basement.

From Salon

With a background in psychology Emma happily calls herself “a bit of a nosy people watcher”.

From BBC

It's a useful reminder that secret ballots remain secret, even from nosy spouses.

From Salon

“At eight they’re nosy, they listen to everything. And Poppy was asking over and over again what had happened.”

From BBC

Oddly enough, and funny enough, the nosy aunties, the Native aunties, are always the one that know all the tea.

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Related Words

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More About Nosy

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!

Where does nosy come from?

The first records of nosy come from the 1800s. The word nose has been used as a verb meaning “to pry” since at least the 1600s.

This figurative sense of nose is based on the idea of searching for something by using one’s sense of smell. The phrases nose about, nose around, and sniff around mean to look around for something, especially something private or hidden. In many cases, they imply that someone is not looking for something specific—they’re just snooping around to see what they can find. This is exactly what a nosy person does.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to nosy?

  • nosey (less common spelling)
  • nosier (comparative adjective)
  • nosiest (superlative adjective)
  • nosily (adverb)
  • nosiness (noun)

What are some synonyms for nosy?

What are some words that share a root or word element with nosy

 

What are some words that often get used in discussing nosy?

 

How is nosy used in real life?

Nosy is typically used in a mildly negative way. People sometimes even call themselves nosy to acknowledge that they’re overly curious about other people’s business.

 

Try using nosy!

Which of the following words is LEAST likely to describe someone who’s considered nosy?

A. prying
B. meddlesome
C. indifferent
D. curious

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