gossip

gossip — noun

1. talk or written stories about the details of other people's lives, especially pa

1.nounB1
Definition

talk or written stories about the details of other people's lives, especially parts that are personal, romantic, or embarrassing and that the people involved may not want to be shared publicly

Example

The whole office loved to spread gossip about the celebrity who rented the penthouse.

collocation: spread gossip

Reema ignored the gossip about her and focused on finishing her project.

Common collocations
  • spread gossip
  • hear gossip
  • office gossip
  • juicy gossip
  • idle gossip
  • malicious gossip
  • piece of gossip
  • bit of gossip
Synonyms
  • rumours

    more specific — unconfirmed stories circulating among people, not necessarily about personal lives

  • hearsay

    more formal or legal — secondhand information the speaker cannot verify

  • tittle-tattle

    informal and playful — trivial, unimportant gossip

Antonyms
  • fact

    verified information that can be proven true

  • truth

    accurate and honest account of events

Common Mistakes

I heard an interesting gossip.
I heard an interesting piece of gossip.
指八卦消息時 gossip 是不可數名詞，不能直接說 a gossip（a gossip 是指愛八卦的人）

2. someone who often talks about the personal affairs of others and shares private

2.nounB1
Definition

someone who often talks about the personal affairs of others and shares private details, usually viewed with disapproval because secrets are not safe with them

Example

Old Mr. Chen was known as the neighbourhood gossip who knew everyone's business.

countable noun for a person

Sade quickly learned not to share secrets with her colleague, a terrible gossip.

often disapproving

Common collocations
  • terrible gossip
  • old gossip
  • local gossip
  • biggest gossip
  • neighbourhood gossip
Synonyms
  • busybody

    stronger negative tone — someone who meddles in others' affairs

  • scandalmonger

    more dramatic — someone who spreads shocking or damaging stories

Common Mistakes

She is a very gossipy.
She is a terrible gossip.
指「愛八卦的人」要用名詞 gossip，gossipy 是形容詞

3. light, relaxed conversation in social situations about everyday topics such as h

3.nounB2
Definition

light, relaxed conversation in social situations about everyday topics such as hobbies, travel, or entertainment, without focusing on people's private secrets

Example

The wedding reception buzzed with light gossip about everybody's summer plans.

light gossip = casual, not malicious

A few minutes of friendly gossip before the exam helped the students relax.

Common collocations
  • light gossip
  • friendly gossip
  • harmless gossip
  • gentle gossip
Synonyms
  • chat

    more neutral — casual conversation without any implication of talking about others

  • chit-chat

    very informal — light, unimportant conversation

  • small talk

    polite conversation about unimportant subjects, often in formal settings

Antonyms

gossip — verb

Word family

  • gossipy
    adjectiveB2
  • gossiper
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Gossip, rumours, hearsay, and tittle-tattle all involve unverified information about others, but they differ in scope and tone. Gossip (noun/1) is the broadest term — it covers any talk about people's private lives, whether true, false, malicious, or light. Rumours are specific unconfirmed stories circulating among people; they may or may not be about personal life (e.g., rumours about a company merger). Hearsay is a more formal term for secondhand information the speaker cannot verify — it is not necessarily about personal matters. Tittle-tattle is a playful, dismissive word for trivial, unimportant gossip. For example: 'I heard some gossip that Mira is moving to Taipei' (personal, casual); 'There are rumours that the factory will close' (business, unconfirmed); 'The judge dismissed the statement as hearsay' (legal context); 'I am tired of all this silly tittle-tattle' (dismissive, light).

rumourshearsaytittle-tattle

Common collocations

Adverbs

Phrases

  • word of mouth

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

The word 'gossip' comes from Old English 'godsibb', a combination of 'god' and 'sibb' (meaning relative). Originally it referred to a godparent — a person who sponsored a child at baptism. By the 1500s it had shifted to mean a close friend or companion, and then someone who enjoyed idle chat. By the 1800s the meaning had moved from the person to the talk itself — the modern sense of casual or malicious conversation about others' private lives.