gossips

Noun

gossip (countable and uncountable, plural gossips)

1. (countable) Someone who likes to talk about other people's private or personal business.
   • Be careful what you say to him: he’s a bit of a gossip.

   Synonyms:

   busybody, gossipmonger, meddler, rumormonger, carrytale, blab, blabbermouth, blabtale, blabtongue, buzzer

2. (uncountable) Idle talk about someone’s private or personal matters, especially about someone not present.
   • According to the latest gossip, their relationship is on the rocks.

   Synonyms:

   dirt, hearsay, rumor, scandal, scuttlebutt, bruit, buzz, tidbit, fame, moot

3. (uncountable) Idle conversation in general.
   • 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.1868–1869, Louisa M[ay] Alcott, chapter 38, in Little Women: […], (please specify |part=1 or 2), Boston, Mass.: Roberts Brothers, →OCLC

   Synonyms:

   chat, chinwag, chit-chat, natter, babble, bavardage, bibble-babble, blab, blabber, blabbing

4. (uncountable) A genre in contemporary media, usually focused on the personal affairs of celebrities.
   • a gossip columnist
5. Communication done using a gossip protocol.
6. (historical) A sponsor; a godfather or godmother; the godparent of one's child or godchild, or the parent of one's godchild.
   • ’tis not a maid, for she hath had gossips [i.e. she could not be a virgin, because she has children with godparents]c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...

   Synonyms:

   sponsor, godsib

See all 14 meanings of gossip