Overly interested in other people's business or affairs; curious in a way that invades someone's privacy.
From 'nose' (the body part) plus '-y' adjective ending. The metaphor of sticking your nose into things developed in the 1800s-1900s. Alternate spelling is 'nosy.'
The term 'nosey' is based on the image of literally sticking your nose into something that isn't your business—it's a vivid physical metaphor! Interestingly, primates are actually very nosey creatures, and human nosiness may be connected to our primate instinct to monitor social hierarchies.
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