Busybody
/ˈbɪziˌbɒdi/noun
A person who is excessively interested in other people's affairs.
Did you know?Busybody is a compound of busy + body, and it first appears in English as a blunt insult for someone who meddles everywhere, with no hidden occult root — just beautifully sharp social judgment.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
bisig
“busy, occupied, active”
Middle English
ME
busy
“occupied, diligently engaged”
Late Middle English
ME
body
“the physical body; a person”
16th Century
English
busybody
“a meddlesome person who intrudes into others' affairs”
Modern English
English
busybody
“a person who interferes in other people's matters”