tidbit
Americannoun
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tidbits
plural
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a delicate bit or morsel of food.
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a choice or pleasing bit of anything, as news or gossip.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of tidbit
First recorded in 1630–40; tide 1 (in sense “feast day”) + bit 2
Explanation
A tidbit is a small amount of something delicious. You might have a tidbit to tide you over between lunch and dinner. If you're tempted to feed your dog tidbits of your dinner, remember that that's a good way to turn him into a chubby dog that begs for food. The word tidbit can also mean "a bit of gossipy information," and you may notice yourself lingering where you can overhear a phone conversation, hoping for a few tidbits. Tidbit, or titbit in the U.K., comes from the dialectical tid, "fond or tender."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
There is always a chance these dinners may provide some tidbit of relevant information, but I have no interest in opening an account.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
So right now in government, officials are "rushing around picking up every little hint and tidbit on areas that might affect their department", in the words of one former senior figure.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
That’s a useful tidbit for investors, who like to follow recall data, to know.
From Barron's ● Apr. 28, 2026
At this, America’s hockey dudes laughed dutifully and dude-ily, unaware of how disgusting people would find this tidbit of locker room talk.
From Salon ● Mar. 6, 2026
She finds some tidbit on the ground and picks it up.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
"He gave us some little tidbits about what was going on, but he never knew anything about the Pan Am bombing. And he knew a lot about Megrahi," Holt says.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
She claimed this doctrine prevents courts from cherry-picking tidbits of committee reports or creating a private right to sue when Congress didn’t include one.
From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026
Throughout the video, Parton weaved her cheery demeanor and wit in with the more serious tidbits about her health and grief.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 2026
There are myriad tidbits about a company’s business, market, risks, competitors, and financials.
From Barron's ● Jan. 30, 2026
Nuggets of keen observation and odd tidbits about the ancient world glint in it, too.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
