quidnunc

English

WOTD – 20 April 2008

Etymology

From Latin quid nunc? (“what now?”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, US) IPA^(key): /ˈkwɪdˌnʌŋk/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

quidnunc (plural quidnuncs)

1. (archaic) A person eager to learn news and scandal.

   Synonyms: busybody, buttinsky, gossip, newsmonger, yenta

   • 1785, Rudolf Erich Raspe, chapter V, in The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen:

     We all did our duty, which, in the patriot's, soldier's, and gentleman's language, is a very comprehensive word, of great honour, meaning, and import, and of which the generality of idle quidnuncs and coffee-house politicians can hardly form any but a very mean and contemptible idea.

   • 1809, Washington Irving, chapter VIII, in Knickerbocker's History of New York, volume 5:

     […] but still something was necessary to convince the community at large, to quiet those praying quidnuncs who should come after them--in short, the world must be satisfied.

Further reading

• “quidnunc”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.