tattle

C2+ Topic:Media & Publishing

US /ˈtætəl/ UK /ˈtætl/ See IPA manual

verb noun

Meanings

1

verb
to report another's wrongdoing; to gossip idly

The boy threatened to tattle to the teacher about the prank.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to report another's... blab snitch gossip inform tell prattle squeal

Word family

Derived forms tattlertattlingtattletale

Related forms tittle-tattle

Etymology

From Middle English tatelen ('to stammer, prattle'), of imitative origin, probably borrowed from Middle Flemish tatelen ('to stammer, babble').

tatelen Middle Dutch

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Topics

Media & Publishing

# tattle

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** ˈtætəl
**IPA (UK):** ˈtætl

## Meanings
1. to report another's wrongdoing; to gossip idly

## Examples
- The boy threatened to tattle to the teacher about the prank.

## Synonyms
- blab
- snitch
- gossip
- inform
- tell
- prattle
- squeal

## Derived Forms
- tattler
- tattling
- tattletale

## Related Forms
- tittle-tattle

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: tatelen

## Etymology
From Middle English tatelen ('to stammer, prattle'), of imitative origin, probably borrowed from Middle Flemish tatelen ('to stammer, babble').

## AI Etymology
Tattle comes from Middle English tatelen ('to stammer, prattle'), of imitative origin, probably borrowed from Middle Flemish tatelen ('to stammer, babble'). The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As a verb and noun, it means "to report another's wrongdoing; to gossip idly", so the modern sense keeps the older action or relation visible. Relevant historical forms include Middle Dutch tatelen. Derivative forms include tattler, tattling, tattletale; related words include tittle-tattle.

## Topics
- Media & Publishing

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tattle

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