Word of the day · 29 July 2026
quidnunc
/ˈkwɪdnʌŋk/
noun
A person who is eager for news and gossip; a busybody about current affairs.
In a sentence
- Every office has a quidnunc who knows the rumor first.
- The village quidnunc posted the news before the paper did.
- She refused to play quidnunc and waited for the official note.
In an image
Origin
From Latin quid nunc (what now?), adopted in English in the early 1700s as a label for a nosy news-hunter.
History
English wits coined quidnunc from a Latin tag that means what now. Periodicals and plays used it for idle talkers chasing the latest rumor. The word faded from daily speech but still delights readers who want a sharper alternative to gossip. It fits social media habits as neatly as coffeehouse ones.
Nearby words
gossip · busybody · newsmonger
The neighbor who always asks what just happened.