talebearer

noun

tale·​bear·​er ˈtāl-ˌber-ər How to pronounce talebearer (audio)
: one that spreads gossip or rumors
also : tattletale
talebearing adjective or noun

Examples of talebearer in a Sentence

statehouse talebearers had long spread stories about the governor's extramarital affairs the teacher told him not to be such a talebearer, as she was quite capable of detecting student misbehavior on her own

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of talebearer was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near talebearer

Cite this Entry

“Talebearer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/talebearer. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

talebearer

noun
tale·​bear·​er -ˌbar-ər How to pronounce talebearer (audio)
-ˌber-
: a person who spreads gossip, scandal, or rumors
talebearing adjective or noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!