Talebearer

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Someone who spreads gossip or reports secrets told in confidence, especially in a malicious manner
2. Someone who reveals private information or spreads rumors about others, particularly to cause harm or embarrassment
3. A person who divulges confidential matters or repeats hearsay to third parties with intent to damage reputations
4. a person who divulges private information or gossip to others, often with intent to harm or create discord
5. one who repeats confidential matters or rumors to those not meant to hear them, typically for mischievous purposes

Etymology: "Talebearer" is a plain compound: "tale," meaning a story or report, joined to "bearer," one who carries something. The sense is literal: a person who carries tales from one place or person to another. Its Middle English form, "taleberer," was built the same way, from "tale" and "berer," an agent noun from the verb "bere," to carry. The word is a transparent piece of English construction rather than a borrowing, and it sits comfortably beside older compounds with "bearer" such as "standard-bearer" and "stretcher-bearer." The image is of someone physically hauling stories along, which suits a word for gossips who pass news from household to household.

Synonyms: gossiper, tattletale, informant

Antonyms: secret-keeper