tattletale
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.”
How to use tattletale
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA person (often a kid) who snitches on others, or the act of snitching itself.
Informal, and mostly used in North American English; British English tends to say "telltale" or "snitch."
Word forms
tattletaled past tense, tattletales plural, tattletales singular
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.