gossip English · revision 167
5 Oct 2026, 22:09 by bogdan “Add pronunciation, sense history, timeline, meanings, word family, related words” current version
Changes in this edit
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+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA: /ˈɡɒsɪp/ ''(UK)''; /ˈɡɑsɪp/, /ˈɡɑsəp/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)
+
==Etymology==
The word is [[inh|enm|godsib|t=godparent]],^(AHD)^(Wiktionary) [[inh|ang|godsibb|t=sponsor, godparent]],^(AHD)^(OED 1989) from ''god'' “God” + ''sibb'' “related; kinsman”.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)
− In Middle English the sense was extended to “a familiar acquaintance, friend” (c. 1300), especially women friends invited to attend a birth, and later to “anyone engaging in idle talk” (1560s).^(Etymonline) The sense “trifling talk, groundless rumour” dates from 1811.^(Etymonline) Compare [[sibling]].^(Etymonline)
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ A godparent or sponsor at a baptism; the OED's earliest quotation is from 1014.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ In Middle English the sense was extended to “a familiar acquaintance, friend” (c. 1300), especially women friends invited to attend a birth, and later to “anyone engaging in idle talk” (1560s).^(Etymonline) The sense “trifling talk, groundless rumour” dates from 1811.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The verb meant “to act as a gossip or companion” (1590) before “to talk idly about others” (1620s).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The sense “godparent” survives in British dialect.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 1014 – “godparent, sponsor”.^(OED 1989)
+ * c. 1300 – “a familiar acquaintance, friend”.^(Etymonline)
+ * 1560s – “a person who engages in idle talk”.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)
+ * 1590 – a woman's friends invited to a birth.^(OED 1989)
+ * 1620s – verb, “to talk idly about others”.^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)
+ * 1811 – “trifling talk, groundless rumour”.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)
+
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Noun===
+ # Talk or rumour about the personal or private affairs of others.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)
+ # A person who habitually spreads such talk.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)
+ # Light, chatty talk or writing.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)
+ # ''(archaic or dialectal)'' A godparent; a close friend.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ===Verb===
+ # To talk idly about other people's affairs.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[gossiper]]
+ * [[gossipry]]
+ * [[gossipy]]
+ * [[gossipingly]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[sibling]]
+ * [[sib]]
+
+ ==Usage notes==
+ ''Gossip'' is light talk or newsmongering about others;^(RHWU) ''scandal'' is talk that damages a reputation and is usually more or less malicious.^(RHWU)
==References==