nosy

or nos·ey

[ noh-zee ]

adjective

, nos·i·er, nos·i·est.

1. unduly curious about the affairs of others; prying; meddlesome.

nosy

/ ˈnəʊzɪ /

adjective

1. informal.
   prying or inquisitive

Derived Forms

• ˈnosily, adverb
• ˈnosiness, noun

Other Words From

• nosi·ly adverb
• nosi·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of nosy¹

First recorded in 1880–85; nose + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Agatha’s mental wall dropping and letting Billy in proves she has made great strides to being more than just the nosy neighbor with a rune-laden cave in her basement.

From Salon

With a background in psychology Emma happily calls herself “a bit of a nosy people watcher”.

From BBC

Portrayed by Kathryn Hahn, the character was introduced as Wanda and Vision’s nosy neighbor Agnes.

From Los Angeles Times

Wanda also uses her power to wipe Agatha’s mind in order to live out her life in Westview as the nosy neighbor Agnes.

From Los Angeles Times

I would've thought, “Oh, well, The Ghoul will never wear sunglasses. You can't be nosy.”

From Salon

Related Words

• inquisitive
• intrusive
• meddlesome