Gossip
name, noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Definitions
- 1 Someone who likes to talk about other people's private or personal business. countable
"Be careful what you say to him: he’s a bit of a gossip."
- 2 light informal conversation for social occasions wordnet
- 3 Idle talk about someone’s private or personal matters, especially about someone not present. uncountable
"According to the latest gossip, their relationship is on the rocks."
- 4 a report (often malicious) about the behavior of other people wordnet
- 5 Idle conversation in general. uncountable
"The parlor was always bright and attractive, the chessboard ready, the piano in tune, plenty of gay gossip, and a nice little supper set forth in tempting style."
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- 6 a person given to gossiping and divulging personal information about others wordnet
- 7 A genre in contemporary media, usually focused on the personal affairs of celebrities. uncountable
"a gossip columnist"
- 8 Communication done using a gossip protocol. countable, uncountable
- 9 A sponsor; a godfather or godmother; the godparent of one's child or godchild, or the parent of one's godchild. countable, historical, uncountable
"’tis not a maid, for she hath had gossips [i.e. she could not be a virgin, because she has children with godparents]"
- 10 A familiar acquaintance. countable, obsolete, uncountable
"My noble gossips, ye have been too prodigal: I thank ye heartily;"
- 11 Title used with the name of one's child's godparent or of a friend. countable, obsolete, uncountable
"What, ho, gossip Ford! what, ho!"
- 1 To talk about someone else's private or personal business, especially in a manner that spreads the information. intransitive
"This Place then is no other than the Chandler’s Shop; the known Seat of all the News; or, as it is vulgarly called, Gossiping, in every Parish in England."
- 2 talk socially without exchanging too much information wordnet
- 3 To talk idly. intransitive
"[…] on seats beneath the trees, the old men group of an evening to drink their ale and gossip over village politics;"
- 4 wag one's tongue; speak about others and reveal secrets or intimacies wordnet
- 5 To stand godfather to; to provide godparents for. obsolete
"[…] a world Of pretty, fond, adoptious christendoms [i.e. Christian names], That blinking Cupid gossips."
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- 6 To enjoy oneself during festivities, to make merry. obsolete
"[…] those baby eyes That never saw the giant world enraged; Nor met with fortune other than at feasts, Full of warm blood, of mirth, of gossiping."
- 7 To communicate using a gossip protocol. intransitive
- 1 A surname.
Example
More examples"I have no time to engage in gossip."
Etymology
From Middle English godsybbe, godsib (“a close friend or relation, a confidant; a godparent”), from Old English godsibb (“godparent, sponsor”), equivalent to god + sib. Doublet of godsib. For sense evolution to "gossip, discussing others' personal affairs," compare French commérage.
Related phrases
More for "gossip"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.