gossip

English Online Dictionary. What means gossip‎? What does gossip mean?

English

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.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɒs.ɪp/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɑs.ɪp/
• Hyphenation: gos‧sip

Noun

gossip (countable and uncountable, plural gossips)

1. (countable) Someone who likes to talk about other people's private or personal business.

   Synonyms: busybody, gossipmonger, meddler, rumormonger; see also Thesaurus:gossiper
2. (uncountable) Idle talk about someone’s private or personal matters, especially someone not present.

   Synonyms: dirt, hearsay, rumor, scandal, scuttlebutt; see also Thesaurus:rumor
3. (uncountable) Idle conversation in general.

   Synonyms: chat, chinwag, chit-chat, natter; see also Thesaurus:chatter
4. (uncountable) A genre in contemporary media, usually focused on the personal affairs of celebrities.
5. (computing) Communication done using a gossip protocol.
6. (now only historical) A sponsor; a godfather or godmother; the godparent of one's child or godchild, or the parent of one's godchild.

   Synonyms: sponsor, godsib

   Hyponyms: godfather, godmother
7. (obsolete) A familiar acquaintance.

   Synonym: friend
8. (obsolete) Title used with the name of one's child's godparent or of a friend.

Derived terms

Descendants

• Chinese:
  • Wu: 茄山河

Translations

Verb

gossip (third-person singular simple present gossips, present participle gossiping or gossipping, simple past and past participle gossiped or gossipped)

1. (intransitive) To talk about someone else's private or personal business, especially in a manner that spreads the information.

   Synonyms: blab, dish the dirt, spill the tea, talk out of turn, tell tales out of school
2. (intransitive) To talk idly.

   Synonyms: chat, chatter, chew the fat, chinwag, natter, prattle, shoot the breeze
3. (obsolete) To stand godfather to; to provide godparents for.
4. (obsolete) To enjoy oneself during festivities, to make merry.
5. (intransitive, computing) To communicate using a gossip protocol.

Translations

References

• Michael Quinion (2004) “Gossip”, in Ballyhoo, Buckaroo, and Spuds: Ingenious Tales of Words and Their Origins, Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Books in association with Penguin Books, →ISBN.

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from English gossip.

Noun

gossip m (invariable)

1. gossip (especially concerning famous or important people)

   Synonym: pettegolezzo

Derived terms

• gossipparo