scuttlebutt

American  

[skuht-l-buht] / ˈskʌt lˌbʌt /

noun

1. Nautical.

   1. an open cask of drinking water.

   2. a drinking fountain for use by the crew of a vessel.

2. Informal. rumor or gossip.

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scuttlebutt British  

/ ˈskʌtəlˌbʌt /

noun

1. a drinking fountain

2. (formerly) a cask of drinking water aboard a ship

3. slang rumour or gossip

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Etymology

Origin of scuttlebutt

1795–1805; 1900–05 scuttlebutt for def. 2; scuttle ¹ + butt ⁴

Example Sentences

That’s because the scuttlebutt on the grounds has been that the gnome is heading for retirement.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

The scuttlebutt is all doom and gloom, following the nature of this streaky team — when they’re on, they can carve their way through a month of the schedule without a regulation loss.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 4, 2024

I’ve heard scuttlebutt from the donor community, some of whom are reportedly miffed to have their microscopically printed names out of circulation.

From Washington Post • Jul. 23, 2022

All day long, on the city's brassy talk-radio stations and in the coffee shops where insiders gathered to swap scuttlebutt, Marcos' loyalists were roasted, even mocked.

From Salon • Nov. 7, 2021

Just as the scuttlebutt had it, we men of the First Marine Amphibious Corps were heading for the Solomons to force a landing on Bougainville.

From "Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two" by Joseph Bruchac