tattle

UK: /ˈtæt^əl/ US: /ˈtætəl/ ,(tat′l)

Inflections of 'tattle' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

tattles

v 3rd person singular

tattling

v pres p

tattled

v past

tattled

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

tat•tle /ˈtætəl/   v., -tled, -tling, n. 
v. 

1. to tell something secret about another out of spite:
   [no object] Don't tattle; it's not friendly.
2. tattle on, [~ + on + object] to betray by tattling:
   Why did you tattle on me?

n. [countable]

3. the act of tattling.

tat•tler, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

tat•tle  (tat′l), v., -tled, -tling, n. 
v.i. 

1. to let out secrets.
2. to chatter, prate, or gossip.

v.t. 

3. to utter idly;
   disclose by gossiping.

n. 

4. the act of tattling.
5. idle talk;
   chatter;
   gossip.

• Dutch tatelen; cognate with Middle Low German tatelen
• 1475–85

tat′tling•ly, adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

tattle / ˈtæt^əl/ verb

1. (intransitive) to gossip about another's personal matters or secrets
2. (transitive) to reveal by gossiping
3. (intransitive) to talk idly; chat

noun

1. the act or an instance of tattling
2. a scandalmonger or gossip

Etymology: 15th Century (in the sense: to stammer, hesitate): from Middle Dutch tatelen to prate, of imitative origin