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Definition of yenta

yenta

/ˈjɛntə/
yen · ta
Plural:yentas
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yenta Lexical Profile

yenta Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

North American A person, especially a woman, who is a habitual gossip or a meddling busybody.

Example

"The neighborhood yenta knew everyone's business before the news even had a chance to spread."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for yenta

Word Nuance & Usage

Because of the character Yente the matchmaker in the musical 'Fiddler on the Roof', speakers sometimes mistakenly use 'yenta' to mean a matchmaker rather than its original Yiddish meaning of a nosy gossip or busybody.

• Rhymes for yenta

• Nearby Words

yemeni
yen
yenisei
yenta
yeoman
yep
yerevan

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Yiddish 'yente', a woman's given name (ultimately derived from Old French 'gentil', meaning 'noble' or 'high-born') that became genericized in the early 20th century through a popular stock character in Yiddish theater and newspaper columns.

Cite this Entry

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