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Definition of gossip noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

gossip

noun
 
/ˈɡɒsɪp/
 
/ˈɡɑːsɪp/
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  1. [uncountable] (usually disapproving) informal talk or stories about other people’s private lives, which may be unkind or not true
    • Don't believe all the gossip you hear.
    • Tell me all the latest gossip!
    • The gossip was that he had lost a fortune on the stock exchange.
    • He knows all the juicy gossip.
    • It was common gossip (= everyone said so) that they were having an affair.
    • She's a great one for idle gossip (= she enjoys spreading stories about other people that are probably not true).
    Extra Examples
    • A piece of silly gossip was going round the school.
    • I heard an interesting bit of gossip yesterday.
    • Do you want to hear some good gossip?
    • It's common gossip in the office that they're sleeping together.
    • Someone has been spreading malicious gossip about me.
    • You shouldn't listen to idle gossip.
    • a magazine full of gossip about famous people
    • office gossip
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • latest
    • idle
    • juicy
    • …
    … of gossip
    • bit
    • piece
    • tidbit
    • …
    verb + gossip
    • spread
    • exchange
    • swap
    • …
    gossip + verb
    • circulate
    • go around
    • go round
    • …
    gossip + noun
    • column
    • columnist
    preposition
    • gossip about
    See full entry
  2. [countable, usually singular] a conversation about other people and their private lives
    • I love a good gossip.
    Synonyms discussiondiscussionconversation ▪ dialogue ▪ talk ▪ debate ▪ consultation ▪ chat ▪ gossipThese are all words for an occasion when people talk about something.discussion a detailed conversation about something that is considered to be important:
    • Discussions are still taking place between the two leaders.
    conversation a talk, usually a private or informal one, involving two people or a small group; the activity of talking in this way:
    • a telephone conversation
    dialogue conversations in a book, play or film:
    • The novel has long descriptions and not much dialogue.
    A dialogue is also a formal discussion between two groups, especially when they are trying to solve a problem or end a dispute:
    • The President told waiting reporters there had been a constructive dialogue.
    talk a conversation or discussion, often one about a problem or something important for the people involved:
    • I had a long talk with my boss about my career prospects.
    debate a formal discussion of an issue at a public meeting or in a parliament. In a debate two or more speakers express opposing views and then there is often a vote on the issue:
    • a debate on prison reform
    consultation a formal discussion between groups of people before a decision is made about something:
    • There have been extensive consultations between the two countries.
    chat a friendly informal conversation; informal talking. The countable use of chat is especially British English: I just called in for a chat about the kids. gossip a conversation about other people and their private lives:
    • We had a good gossip about the boss.
    Patterns
    • a discussion/​conversation/​dialogue/​talk/​debate/​consultation/​chat/​gossip about something
    • a discussion/​conversation/​dialogue/​debate/​consultation on something
    • in (close) discussion/​conversation/​dialogue/​debate/​consultation with somebody
    • to have a discussion/​conversation/​dialogue/​talk/​debate/​consultation/​chat/​gossip with somebody
    • to hold a discussion/​conversation/​debate/​consultation
    Extra Examples
    • They met for a drink and a gossip.
    • We had a good gossip about the boss.
    • I was having a gossip with my friend on the phone.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • good
    verb + gossip
    • have
    preposition
    • gossip about
    • gossip with
    See full entry
  3. [countable] (disapproving) a person who enjoys talking about other people’s private lives
    • The people I work with are terrible gossips.
    Synonyms speakerspeakercommunicator ▪ gossip ▪ talkerThese are all words for a person who talks or who is talking, especially in a particular way.speaker a person who is or was speaking; a person who speaks a particular language:
    • I looked around to see who the speaker was.
    • a fluent Arabic speaker
    communicator (rather formal) a person who is able to describe their ideas and feelings clearly to others:
    • The ideal candidate will be an effective communicator.
    gossip (disapproving) a person who enjoys talking about other people’s private lives:
    • Don't tell anyone, because some people are terrible gossips.
    talker a person who talks in a particular way or who talks a lot:
    • He’s a very persuasive talker.
    • She’s a (great) talker (= she talks a lot).
     speaker or talker?Talker is used when you are talking about how much somebody talks or how well they talk. It is not used for the person who is or was talking: I looked round to see who the talker was. You can say that somebody is a good/​persuasive speaker but that means that they are good at making speeches. If you mean that they speak well in conversation, use talker.Patterns
    • a good/​great speaker/​communicator/​talker
    • an effective/​excellent speaker/​communicator
    4. Word Originlate Old English godsibb, ‘godfather, godmother, baptismal sponsor’, literally ‘a person related to one in God’, from god ‘God’ + sibb ‘a relative’ (see sib). In Middle English the sense was ‘a close friend, a person with whom one gossips’, hence ‘a person who gossips’, later (early 19th cent.) ‘idle talk’ (from the verb, which dates from the early 17th cent.).
See gossip in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
Check pronunciation: gossip

Nearby words

trait
noun
 
 
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