gossip

Etymology

From Middle English gossib, godsib (“a close friend or relation, a confidant”), from Old English godsibb (“godparent, sponsor”), equivalent to god +‎ sib.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɒ.sɪp/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɑ.sɪp/

• Audio (US)

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Noun

gossip (countable and uncountable, plural gossips)

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 someone not present.
   • 1907, Robert William Chambers, chapter II, in The Younger Set (Project Gutenberg; EBook #14852), New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, published 1 February 2005 (Project Gutenberg version), OCLC 24962326:

     "I ought to arise and go forth with timbrels and with dances; but, do you know, I am not inclined to revels? There has been a little—just a very little bit too much festivity so far …. Not that I don't adore dinners and gossip and dances; not that I do not love to pervade bright and glittering places. […]"

3. A genre in contemporary media, usually focused on the personal affairs of celebrities.
   • 1914, Louis Joseph Vance, Nobody, chapter I:

     Little disappointed, then, she turned attention to "Chat of the Social World," gossip which exercised potent fascination upon the girl's intelligence. She devoured with more avidity than she had her food those pretentiously phrased chronicles of the snobocracy […] distilling therefrom an acid envy that robbed her napoleon of all its savour.

4. (obsolete) A sponsor; a godfather or godmother.
   • John Selden (1584-1654)

     Should a great lady that was invited to be a gossip, in her place send her kitchen maid, 'twould be ill taken.

5. (obsolete) A familiar acquaintance; a friend.

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.
2. (intransitive) To talk idly; to chatter or prattle.
3. (obsolete) To stand godfather to.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)

Etymology

English gossip.

Noun

gossip m (inv)

1. gossip (especially concerning famous or important people)