gossip
gos·sip/ˈɡɑsɪp/noun, verb
gossip is spelled G-O-S-S-I-P: 6 letters and 2 syllables (gos·sip). It appears 7.6 times per million words in written English, the 8,542nd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, gossip means “Someone who likes to talk about other people's private or personal business” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of gossip is gossips.
How many letters and syllables are in gossip?
| Letters | 6: G-O-S-S-I-P |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: gos·sip |
| In writing | 7.6 times per million words; the 8,542nd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is gossip?
Gossip appears 7.6 times per million words in written English, the 8,542nd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce gossip?
- UK /ˈɡɒsɪp/
- US /ˈɡɑsɪp/
- US /ˈɡɑsəp/
Gossip has 2 syllables, split gos·sip in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-gossip.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of gossip
- gossips plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- gossiping participle, present
- gossipping participle, present, rare
- gossiped participle, past
- gossipped participle, past, rare
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does gossip mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Someone who likes to talk about other people's private or personal business.
Be careful what you say to him: he’s a bit of a gossip.
- 2
Idle talk about someone’s private or personal matters, especially about someone not present.
According to the latest gossip, their relationship is on the rocks.
- 3
Idle conversation in general.
- 4
A genre in contemporary media, usually focused on the personal affairs of celebrities.
a gossip columnist
- 5
Communication done using a gossip protocol.
- 6
A sponsor; a godfather or godmother; the godparent of one's child or godchild, or the parent of one's godchild.
- 7
obsoleteA familiar acquaintance.
- 8
obsoleteTitle used with the name of one's child's godparent or of a friend.
verb
- 1
To talk about someone else's private or personal business, especially in a manner that spreads the information.
- 2
To talk idly.
- 3
obsoleteTo stand godfather to; to provide godparents for.
- 4
obsoleteTo enjoy oneself during festivities, to make merry.
- 5
To communicate using a gossip protocol.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Gossip in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | commérage, ragot, cancan, qu'en-dira-t-on , commérer , bavarder |
| German | Klatsch, Tratsch , tratschen, klatschen, lästern , schwatzen |
| Portuguese | bisbilhotice, cusquice, mexerico, fofoca , fofocar, mexericar |
| Spanish | chisme, bochinche, brete, cahuín, chambre, chimento |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does gossip come from?
From Middle English godsybbe, godsib (“a close friend or relation, a confidant; a godparent”), from Old English godsibb (“godparent, sponsor”), equivalent to god + sib. Doublet of godsib. For sense evolution to "gossip, discussing others' personal affairs," compare French commérage.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).