noun
tattletale
TA-tuhl-tayl
Tattletale (noun) means (informal, chiefly North American) Someone, especially a child, who reports on other people's misbehaviour, often just to get them in trouble. Example: “Nobody wanted to play with the class tattletale.”
noun
1
(informal, chiefly North American) Someone, especially a child, who reports on other people's misbehaviour, often just to get them in trouble.
"Nobody wanted to play with the class tattletale."
"Don't be such a tattletale — it was an accident."
verb
1
To tell on someone; to reveal wrongdoing to an authority figure.
"She threatened to tattletale to the teacher."
How to use tattletale
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA person (often a kid) who snitches on others, or the act of snitching itself.
When to use it
Informal, and mostly used in North American English; British English tends to say "telltale" or "snitch."
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Plural
- tattletales
- Third person singular
- tattletales
- Past tense
- tattletaled
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Nobody wanted to play with the class _____.
Etymology
A compound of tattle and tale.
Related words
Rhymes for tattletale
See all rhymes for tattletale →Frequently asked questions
What does “tattletale” mean?
The word “tattletale” means (informal, chiefly North American) Someone, especially a child, who reports on other people's misbehaviour, often just to get them in trouble. In plain terms, a person (often a kid) who snitches on others, or the act of snitching itself.
How do you pronounce “tattletale”?
“Tattletale” is pronounced TA-tuhl-tayl (/ˈtætəlˌteɪl/ in IPA).
How do you use “tattletale” in a sentence?
Here is “tattletale” used in a sentence: “Nobody wanted to play with the class tattletale.”
What part of speech is “tattletale”?
Depending on how it is used, “tattletale” can be a noun and a verb.
How many meanings does “tattletale” have?
“Tattletale” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: (informal, chiefly North American) Someone, especially a child, who reports on other people's misbehaviour, often just to get them in trouble.
