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gossip

gos·sip

gossip

 
 
pronunciation:
ga sihp
parts of speech:
noun, verb
features:
Word History, Word Explorer
part of speech: noun
definition 1: tales or talk about the personal lives and secrets of others when they are not present.
Don't believe what Pete told you, as it's only gossip.
similar words:
hearsay, rumor, talk
definition 2: a person who often takes part in the telling of gossip.
Be careful what you tell her; she's a gossip.
synonyms:
busybody
similar words:
magpie, snoop, tattletale
 
part of speech: verb
inflections: gossips, gossiping, gossiped
definition: to take part in the telling of gossip.
The people in that office like to gossip about their boss when he is not around.
synonyms:
nose into, pry, tattle
derivations: gossipy (adj.), gossiper (n.)
Word History
Gossip comes from godsibb, an early English word for a godparent. Over time, "gossip" came to mean any close friend. By the late 1500s, the word was being used for someone who chatters about things of no importance. Today, most people would not like to be known as a "gossip."
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