What does rumourmonger mean?
A rumourmonger is someone who deliberately or habitually spreads gossip and unverified reports. The term is usually negative: it suggests that the person enjoys passing stories onward, may disregard whether they are true, and can cause embarrassment, conflict, or damage to others’ reputations. In British English, "rumour" is spelled with the ending -our, while American English generally uses "rumor." The word is especially useful when the emphasis is on the person responsible for circulating a report rather than on the report itself. It can refer to casual neighbourhood gossip, workplace tattling, or more serious political and social manipulation, although it commonly implies that the information may be unreliable.
nounA person who spreads gossip or unverified reports, often for the purpose of stirring interest or causing harm.
- A person who spreads gossip, rumors, or unverified reports.
"The rumourmonger tried to convince everyone that the company was about to close."
"She was known throughout the village as a rumourmonger who could never keep a confidence."
"The newspaper described the minister as a political rumourmonger responsible for spreading false claims."
The usual plural in British English; "rumormongers" is used in American English.
"The rumourmongers spread the story before the official announcement was made."
The word names not the story, but the person who keeps it travelling.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of rumourmonger
The word combines "rumour" or "rumor," meaning an unverified report or piece of gossip, with "monger," meaning a person who deals in or spreads something. Its sense and spelling developed in British English, where "rumour" has long used the -our ending. The American spelling "rumormonger" reflects the variant form "rumor" common in American English. The word belongs to a broader family of expressions using "monger" for a person associated with a particular activity or commodity.
Related word forms
How rumourmonger is actually used
Often carries a negative or disapproving connotation, implying that the person spreads information carelessly, maliciously, or without regard for truth. The spelling "rumourmonger" is standard in British English; the spelling "rumormonger" is common in American English.
Easily confused with rumourmonger
A rumour is the report or piece of gossip being circulated, whereas a rumourmonger is the person who spreads it.