The act of spreading rumors, secrets, or idle talk about other people, often for entertainment or attention.
Combines 'gossip' (from Old English 'godsibb,' meaning godparent or close friend, later applied to idle chatter) with 'mongering' (from Latin 'mango,' meaning dealer or trader). The compound emerged in the 16th century to describe people who trade in gossip as if selling goods.
It's fascinating that 'gossip' originally meant a respected godparent in Anglo-Saxon times, but shifted to mean chatter because those relatives would often hang around at births spreading news and stories—so the messenger became the message.
Nominalized form of 'gossipmonger' that elevates the accusation to a habitual practice or profession. Historically used to criminalize women's information networks and social speech.
Reserve for deliberate, harmful rumor-spreading only. For casual information-sharing, use 'discussing', 'sharing news', or similar neutral terms.
["spreading rumors","deliberate misinformation","rumor-trading"]
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