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gossip definition

gos·sip (gäs′əp)

noun

  1. Now Dial.
    1. a godparent
    2. a close friend
  2. a person who chatters or repeats idle talk and rumors, esp. about the private affairs of others
    1. such talk or rumors
    2. chatter

Etymology: ME godsip, gossyp (with assimilated -d-) < Late OE godsibbe, godparent: see god & sib

intransitive verb

to be a gossip or engage in gossip

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

gossip Synonyms

gossip

n.

  1. Local, petty talk

    babble, chatter, meddling, small talk, malicious talk, whispering gallery, hearsay, rumor, scandal, news, slander, calumny, defamation, injury, blackening, grapevine*, grapevine telegraph*.

  2. One who indulges in petty talk

    snoop, meddler, tattler, newsmonger, gossipmonger, scandalmonger, scandal-bearer, backbiter, magpie, chatterbox, talkative person, babbler, bigmouth, blatherskite, parrot*, long-nose*, sticky-beak*, blabbermouth*, telltale*, old hen*, fuss-budget*, Mrs. Grundy*, gabbler*.


gossip

v.

tattle, prattle, tell tales, talk idly, chat, chatter, rumor, report, tell secrets, blab, babble, repeat, prate, spread a story all over town, dish the dirt*.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

gossip Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • swap: Charles had bought along his hard redheaded wife Norma, and she was busy swapping malicious gossip with Emily.

Adjective modifier

  • juicy: Anyway, I've got a bit of juicy gossip about one of the contestants, Michelle.

Modifies a noun

  • columnist: So who cares about a date doctor except maybe a gossip columnist?

Modifying Another Word

  • maliciously: He gossiped maliciously about John and rejected the teachers of the truth sent out by John.

Noun used with modifier

  • celebrity: Enter your details below Name: Email: The latest celebrity gossip from around the world.
gossip usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

gossip quotes

Widgongel wif word gespringeth. A roving woman gives rise to gossip.

-Anonymous

Gossip is a sort of smoke that comes from the dirty tobacco-pipes of those who diffuse it: it proves nothing but the bad taste of the smoker.

-Eliot, George pseudonym of  MaryAnn Evans

For pines are gossip pines the wide world through And full of runic tales to sigh or sing.

-Flecker,James Elroy

gossip quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"gossip." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/gossip>

APA Style

gossip. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/gossip

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