busybody

C2+ Topic:People & Society

US /ˈbɪziˌbɑdi/ UK /ˈbɪziˌbɒdi/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a meddlesome person who pries into others' affairs

The neighborhood busybody knew everyone's secrets.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a meddlesome person who... meddlersnoopgossipinterferernosy parkerprykibitzer

Word family

Related forms busy body

Etymology

A compound of busy + body, literally 'a person busy in others' affairs', dating from the 16th century. Busy is from Old English bisig; body from Old English bodig.

bisig Old English bodig Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

People & Society Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# busybody

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈbɪziˌbɑdi/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈbɪziˌbɒdi/

## Meanings
1. a meddlesome person who pries into others' affairs

## Examples
- The neighborhood busybody knew everyone's secrets.

## Synonyms
- meddler
- snoop
- gossip
- interferer
- nosy parker
- pry
- kibitzer

## Related Forms
- busy
- body

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: bisig
- Root: bodig

## Etymology
A compound of busy + body, literally 'a person busy in others' affairs', dating from the 16th century. Busy is from Old English bisig; body from Old English bodig.

## AI Etymology
Busybody is a noun meaning "a meddlesome person who pries into others' affairs". Historically, it is a compound of busy + body, literally 'a person busy in others' affairs', dating from the 16th century. Busy is from Old English bisig; body from Old English bodig. The visible construction is part of the etymology: busybody is not just an unanalyzed simple word. The historical chain links Old English bisig with Old English bodig. Close English family members include busy, and body.

## Topics
- People & Society
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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