mauvaise langue
Borrowed from French, "mauvaise langue" literally means "bad tongue" and is used to describe someone who gossips or speaks ill of others.
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Definition
B2General
(informal, idiomatic)A person who spreads gossip or speaks maliciously about others.
Example
- She is known as a mauvaise langue in the office, always spreading rumors about her colleagues.
B2General
(informal, idiomatic)The act of speaking ill or spreading slanderous information about someone.
Example
- Engaging in mauvaise langue can damage relationships and trust.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "mauvaise langue":