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Definition of tattletale

tattletale

/ˈtæt.əlˌteɪl/
tat · tle · tale
Plural:tattletales
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tattletale Lexical Profile

tattletale Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

North American A person, especially a child, who reveals secrets or informs on others to an authority figure; a telltale.

Example

"None of the kids on the playground wanted to share their secrets with a known tattletale."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• adjective

1

North American Revealing or betraying something meant to be kept secret or private.

Example

"A tattletale smudge of chocolate around the toddler's mouth gave away who had eaten the cookies."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Nearby Words

tatting
tattle
tattler
tattletale
tattoo
tattooer
tattooist

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in the 18th century as an alliterative compound of the verb "tattle" (of Middle Dutch origin, meaning to chatter or gossip) and the noun "tale" (from Old English talu, meaning a story or account).

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Tattletale. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/tattletale
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