taleteller
Noun: A person who habitually reveals secrets or spreads personal, often sensational or private, information about others, typically in an indiscreet or untrustworthy manner. A gossip.
As a subject:
- The office taleteller made everyone anxious about what might be said next.
- Every village seems to have its own taleteller.
As an object:
- We learned not to trust her; she was a notorious taleteller.
- He was branded a taleteller after spreading the rumor.
The term often carries a strong negative connotation, implying betrayal of confidence, pettiness, or malicious intent. It suggests the person enjoys the act of revealing information, often to cause drama or to feel important. - He wasn't just sharing news; he was being a vindictive taleteller.
- Talebearer (noun): A direct synonym, emphasizing carrying stories from one person to another.
- Tattletale (noun): More common in contexts involving children, for someone who tells an authority figure about another's minor misdeeds.
- Gossip (noun): A more general and common term for a person who engages in idle talk or rumor about others.
- Gossip
- Rumormonger
- Busybody
- Blabbermouth
- Informer (in non-legal contexts)
While there is no common idiom using the exact word "taleteller," the concept is central to several idioms: - To spill the beans: To reveal a secret. - To tell tales out of school: To reveal confidential or private information. - A little bird told me: A phrase used to indicate you have heard gossip without revealing the source, often humorously.
- someone who gossips indiscreetly