nosy en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- nō'-zē (US)
- /ˈnəʊziː/ (UK)
- /ˈnoʊzi/ (US)
- (US) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree English nose Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English nose Proto-Germanic *-j-, *-ij- Proto-West Germanic *-i, *-ī Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English nosy From nose + -y (adjectival suffix), or from nose + -y (diminutive suffix).
Meanings
-
Prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle.
They built tall fences, yet the nosy neighbors always seemed to know everything about them.
Before even considering such a conversation, ask yourself why you want to know, Casares advises. “Are you asking because you feel jealous of that person?” she says. “Are you asking because you also want to go on a GLP-1, or are you asking because you’re nosy and need to know what’s going on in everybody else’s life?”
2026 January 29, Angela Haupt, “Can I Ask Someone if They’re on Ozempic?”, in TIME, archived from the original on 01 Feb 2026:
-
Having a large or elongated nose.
The problem is particularly acute in caricature when a variety of divergent features is forced into a precarious union, when a "nosy" nose is trying to get along with a hesitant mouth and vigilant eyebrows.
1982, Art Journal - Volumes 42-43, page 322:Nosy in his looks by the large hooked proboscis, which dominated his face, as well as by character, Ebenezer wanted, perhaps even needed, to know everyone's business.
2005, R. G. Crouch, The Coat: The Origin and Times of Doggett's Famous Wager, page 99:"Look at you, a handsome man of thirty, with thick brown hair and a nosy nose and enormous feet and hands that can drive a team of horses or a yoke of oxen or," she hesitated in a brief shyness, and then went on, "a loving wife."
1962, Paul Engle, Golden Child, page 25:She had the same sort of handsome, square-cut features as Timothy, with the difference that her nose was small and short — it was obvious that Timothy got his thick dark hair, his brown eyes and his nosy nose from his father, that vigorous impresario who had died suddenly of a heart-attack, his first, two years before the War began.
1971, William Cooper, You want the right frame of reference, page 22:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most nosy | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| nosiest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| nosey | alternative | lexicographic | |
| nosier | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| more nosy | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Deriveds
nosey parker · nosybody · nosiness · nosy parker · nosily · nosy Nancy
Synonyms
interfering · kibitzing · meddlesome
Translations (79)
mi ihu kurī (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · ru любопы́тный (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · es metomentodo (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · pl nosaty (having a large nose) · vi đa đoan (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · pt coscuvelheiro (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · sv nyfiken (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · pt cusca (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · es narizón (having a large nose) · eo maldiskreta (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · kw tronek (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · jam fass (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · vi nhiều chuyện (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · es narizotas (despective) (having a large nose) · mk љубо́питен (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · nl curieus (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · cs vlezlý (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · pl wścibski (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · is forvitinn (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · es narizudo (having a large nose) · es chismoso (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · es narigón (having a large nose) · pt metediço (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · tr meraklı bakkal (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · vi thọc mạch (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · pt abelhudo (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · es narigudo (having a large nose) · es entrometido (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · gl entremetido (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · fr curieux (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · ca tafaner (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · sk nosatý (having a large nose) · ar فُضُولِيّ (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · pt bilhardeiro (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · hu kotnyeles (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · ru носатый (having a large nose) · mk љубо́питник (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · pt bisbilhoteiro (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · de neugierig (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · es metido (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · mi mahira (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · ceb maukit-ukiton (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · ca dotor (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · de topfguckerisch (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · kw tron-droghya (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · cs slídivý (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · kea atrividu (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · fi isonenäinen (having a large nose) · pt intrometido (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · fr fouineur (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · es cotilla (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · hu indiszkrét (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · sk vtieravý (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · ja おせっかいな (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · cs vtíravý (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · bg любопитен (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · mi māhirahira (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · fa فضول (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · geh niesheerich (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · es entremetido (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · fi utelias (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · fr fureteur (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · nl nieuwsgierig (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · acw مَلْقوف (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · hu tolakodó (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · cs zvědavý (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · kea atrevide (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · es metijón (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · it ficcanaso (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · nn forviten (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · cmn 多管閒事 /多管闲事 (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · cs nosatý (having a large nose) · es nariguetas (having a large nose) · vi đa sự (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · vi lắm chuyện (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · ceb ukiton (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · es metiche (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · pt cusco (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle) · cy busneslyd (prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle)