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gossip

Pronunciation: /ˈɡɒsɪp/

The English word “gossip” has 13 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. Someone who likes to talk about other people's private or personal business.
  2. Idle talk about someone’s private or personal matters, especially about someone not present.
  3. Idle conversation in general.
  4. A genre in contemporary media, usually focused on the personal affairs of celebrities.
  5. Communication done using a gossip protocol.
  6. A sponsor; a godfather or godmother; the godparent of one's child or godchild, or the parent of one's godchild.
  7. A familiar acquaintance.
  8. Title used with the name of one's child's godparent or of a friend.

verb

  1. To talk about someone else's private or personal business, especially in a manner that spreads the information.
  2. To talk idly.
  3. To stand godfather to; to provide godparents for.
  4. To enjoy oneself during festivities, to make merry.
  5. To communicate using a gossip protocol.

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.

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.