Wordwyrt

gossip

/ˈɡɒsəp/GO-suhp
/ˈɡɑsəp/GAH-suhp

Meaninggod-relative

Common meaning: idle talk about others

Other meanings: someone who spreads it

Journey through time

  1. Old Englishgodsibb‘sponsor at baptism’sourceB&T
  2. Middle Englishgossibsource
  3. Englishmeaning shiftssponsor at baptism → idle talk about othersgossip‘idle talk about others’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Old English god + sib ‘God + kin’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Skeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), entry GOSSIP, p. 240 · dictionary scan

Roots

Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app