yenta
6
9.9
- noun
- /ˈjɛntə/
- Slur
- At the party, she was acting like a real yenta, prying into everyone's personal lives.
- know what a yenta is
Examples
-
You know what a yenta is?
-
It's those yentas you hang around with.
-
She just wants to be like all the other yentas who walk around.
-
When the socializers were women, they were called, with neither more nor less contempt, yentas.
Fiction book (1991) -
Most people aren't even connected to politics (I'm listening to two uninformed yentas in my office talking about last night's primary as I write this).
Blog text (1) -
Daniella Rosales-Friedman is a yogi, writer, dating know-it-all, and yenta extraordinaire.
Blog text (32) -
Everyone knows she's a yenta; she can't help but spread the latest neighborhood gossip.
-
In our town, there's always one yenta who tries to meddle in every family's business.
Synonyms
34
2.2
A person who likes to talk about others' private lives and share rumors
1
2.8
A person who often talks about other people's private lives and spreads rumors
1
8.4
A person who often tells private stories about other people
1
9.9
A person who spreads harmful gossip about others to attract attention
How Meddlesome
- Offensive
14
7.1
5
6.6
- Slur
6
9.9
- Offensive
1
8.3
- Offensive
34
2.2
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word yenta comes from the Yiddish name Yente, which was used for a chatty or busy woman in stories and plays. So, yenta came to mean 'a gossip' or someone who meddles in other people's business.