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“quidnuncs”
1. A busybody, a nosey person, or gossipmonger who is eager to hear the latest gossip about what is going on with other people; including anything that is scandalous: Alfred was a quidnunc who was always prying into other people's personal affairs and trying to find out all of the latest news about what was going on with them.
2. Etymology: formed from Latin quid, "what" and nunc. "now"; "gossip-monger", to describe someone who is forever asking "What's going on?" Literally, Quid nunc?, "What now?"
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2. Etymology: formed from Latin quid, "what" and nunc. "now"; "gossip-monger", to describe someone who is forever asking "What's going on?" Literally, Quid nunc?, "What now?"
The two words have been combined to make an English word, quidnunc, "a gossip; an overly-curious person"; or "a busybody".
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This entry is located in the following unit:
English Words in Action, Group Q
(page 2)
A busybody and a very nosey person, or gossipmonger who is eager to hear the latest gossip or rumors about people's private lives. (3)
This entry is located in the following unit:
Word a Day Revisited Index of Cartoons Illustrating the Meanings of Words
(page 67)