tale-bearer
|tale-bear-er|
🇺🇸
/ˈteɪlˌbɛrər/
🇬🇧
/ˈteɪlˌbeərə/
one who carries/spreads stories
Etymology
'tale-bearer' originates from Old English elements: 'talu' meaning 'story, speech' and 'berere' (from 'beran') meaning 'to carry' or 'bear'.
'tale-bearer' was formed in Middle English in compounds like 'tale-berer' or 'tale-bere' and eventually standardized to the modern English compound 'tale-bearer'.
Initially it simply meant 'one who relates or carries a story'; over time it acquired a negative sense of 'one who spreads gossip or malicious reports'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who spreads tales or gossip about others; one who reports or circulates malicious or private stories.
She was dismissed as a tale-bearer after private matters were passed around the office.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/10 08:19