meddler

English

Etymology

From Middle English medlere, medelere, equivalent to meddle +‎ -er.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈmɛdlə(ɹ)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈmɛdlɚ/, /ˈmɛdl̩ɚ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Homophone: medlar

Noun

meddler (plural meddlers)

1. One who meddles or interferes in something not of their concern.
   • 1790, Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments; […] In Two Volumes, 6th edition, volume II, London: […] A[ndrew] Strahan; and T[homas] Cadell […]; Edinburgh: W[illiam] Creech, and J. Bell & Co., →OCLC, part VI, section I (Of the Character of the Individual, so far as It Affects His Own Happiness; or of Prudence), page 59:

     The prudent man is not willing to ſubject himſelf to any responſibility which his duty does not impoſe upon him. He is not a buſtler in buſineſs where he has no concern; is not a meddler in other people’s affairs; is not a profeſſed counſellor or adviſer, who obtrudes his advice where nobody is aſking it.

   • 1868, Horatio Alger, Struggling Upward‎^[1]:

     “Yes, Mr. Coleman, I have,” answered Luke steadily. “I thought it my duty to inform this man of your character. I have advised him to put his money into a savings-bank.”
     “Curse you for an impertinent meddler!” said Coleman wrathfully. “I’ll get even with you for this!”
     “You can do as you please,” said Luke calmly.

   • 1934, H. P. Lovecraft, Through the Gates of the Silver Key, chapter 8:

     “Stop!” The hoarse, oddly alien voice of the Swami held a tone beyond all mere earthly fright “I told you there was another form of proof which I could give if necessary, and I warned you not to provoke me to it. This red-faced old meddler is right; I’m not really an East Indian. This face is a mask, and what it covers is not human.”

Synonyms

• busybody
• kibitzer
• marplot
• nosey parker

Translations

one who meddles or interferes

• Catalan: manifasser (ca) m, manifassera (ca) f, fresseta m or f
• Dutch: bemoeial (nl) m
• Finnish: nuuskija (fi)
• French: fouineur (fr) m, fouineuse (fr)
• Galician: cheiracús
• Greek: ανακατωσούρης (el) (anakatosoúris)
• Hungarian: minden lében kanál (hu), kotnyeles (hu)
• Italian: ficcanaso (it) m, impiccione (it)
• Latin: ardelio m
• Maori: whawhewhawhe, kohe
• Spanish: metiche m, entremetido (es) m, entrometido (es) m

See also

• gatecrasher, interloper, peeping tom, persona non grata, encroacher, backseat driver, intruder, buttinsky, ultracrepidarianism