Gossip vs. Tattle — What's the Difference?

Gossip is idle talk or rumour, especially about the personal or private affairs of others; the act is also known as dishing or tattling.Gossip is a topic of research in evolutionary psychology, which has found gossip to be an important means for people to monitor cooperative reputations and so maintain widespread indirect reciprocity. Indirect reciprocity is a social interaction in which one actor helps another and is then benefited by a third party.

Gossip idly

Rumor or talk of a personal, sensational, or intimate nature.

Gossip; idle talk

A person who habitually spreads intimate or private rumors or facts.

To reveal the plans or activities of another, especially ones that are secret or improper

Trivial, chatty talk or writing.

To chatter; prate.

A close friend or companion.

To reveal (something about someone) to another, as through gossiping.

Chiefly British A godparent.

Idle talk; chatter; prattle.

To engage in or spread gossip

A tattletale.

(countable) Someone who likes to talk about other people's private or personal business.

(intransitive) To chatter; to gossip.

(uncountable) Idle talk about someone’s private or personal matters, especially someone not present.

Often said of children: to report incriminating information about another person, or a person's wrongdoing; to tell on somebody.

(uncountable) Idle conversation in general.

To speak like a baby or young child; to babble, to prattle; to speak haltingly; to stutter.

(uncountable) A genre in contemporary media, usually focused on the personal affairs of celebrities.

(countable) A tattletale.

A sponsor; a godfather or godmother; the godparent of a child.

Often said of children: a piece of incriminating information or an account of wrongdoing that is said about another person.

(obsolete) A familiar acquaintance.

(uncountable) Idle talk; gossip; (countable) an instance of such talk or gossip.

(obsolete) Title used with the name of one's child's godparent or of a friend.

To prate; to talk idly; to use many words with little meaning; to chat.

(intransitive) To talk about someone else's private or personal business, especially in a manner that spreads the information.

To tell tales; to communicate secrets; to be a talebearer; as, a tattling girl.

(intransitive) To talk idly.

Idle talk or chat; trifling talk; prate.

(obsolete) To stand godfather to; to provide godparents for.

Disclosing information or giving evidence about another

(obsolete) To enjoy oneself during festivities, to make merry.

Speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly

A sponsor; a godfather or a godmother.

Divulge confidential information or secrets;

A friend or comrade; a companion; a familiar and customary acquaintance.

One who runs house to house, tattling and telling news; an idle tattler.

The tattle of a gossip; groundless rumor.

To stand sponsor to.

To make merry.

To prate; to chat; to talk much.

To run about and tattle; to tell idle tales.

Light informal conversation for social occasions

A report (often malicious) about the behavior of other people;

A person given to gossiping and divulging personal information about others

Wag one's tongue; speak about others and reveal secrets or intimacies;

Talk socially without exchanging too much information;