pettegolezzo
/pet.te.ɡoˈlet.t͡so/masculine
In Italian, gossip is expressed as pettegolezzo. Wiktionary also lists chiacchiera and diceria.
Meaning: idle talk (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pettegolezzo | /pet.te.ɡoˈlet.t͡so/ /pet.te.ɡoˈled.d͡zo/ |
masculine |
| chiacchiera | /ˈkjak.kje.ra/ | feminine |
| diceria | feminine | |
| ciarla | feminine |
The term refers to idle talk. If you want to describe the act of spreading rumors or talking about people's private lives, use the verb spettegolare. For more positive or neutral talk, such as chatting or talking idly, use the verb chiacchierare.
Which one should you use?
Pettegolezzo is the standard neutral term for gossip. In contrast, chiacchiera is often used with a derogatory nuance to imply that the talk is empty or meaningless. Other feminine forms include diceria and ciarla.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun pettegolezzo is masculine. Its plural form is pettegolezzi. The forms chiacchiera, diceria and ciarla are feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /pet.te.ɡoˈlet.tso/. It has 5 syllables, with the stress on the 4th syllable.
Did you know?
- The word chiacchiera is an onomatopoeia meant to mimic the repetitive sound of a bird's chirping or the clattering of small talk.
- In Italian culture, the comare (godmother) is often stereotypically associated with pettegolezzo as the primary source of local neighborhood news.
- The word diceria comes from the verb dire, meaning 'to say', and the suffix -eria which is often used for shops or places of business.
Examples in context
- Il pettegolezzo è una salvezza.Gossip is a lifesaver.This sentence shows how to use pettegolezzo to describe gossip as a lifesaver.Tatoeba #13567568 by Guybrush88, translation #13566316 by rul
- Le persone sono dipendenti dal pettegolezzo.People are addicted to gossip.This sentence shows how to use pettegolezzo regarding people's addiction to gossip.Tatoeba #11800348 by Nuel, translation #11800345 by Nuel
- Il pettegolezzo è un comportamento umano normale.Gossip is normal human behavior.This sentence shows how to use pettegolezzo when describing gossip as normal human behavior.Tatoeba #13567570 by Guybrush88, translation #13566229 by rul
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Alessandro are talking about office rumors.
- GiuliaHai sentito l'ultimo pettegolezzo su Marco?Have you heard the latest gossip about Marco?
- AlessandroNo, cosa è successo stavolta?No, what happened this time?
- GiuliaDicono che si licenzierà presto.They say he will quit soon.
- AlessandroNon mi piace proprio questo pettegolezzo.I really don't like this gossip.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gossip” translations and entries pettegolezzo, chiacchiera, diceria, ciarla, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chiacchiera, ciarla, diceria, pettegolezzo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
