tattletale
Meaning
a person, especially a child, who tells someone in authority about something bad that another person has done.
Structure
Usage
the teacher asked the class not to be a tattletale for every minor disagreement.
he was labeled a tattletale after telling his mother his brother had eaten a cookie before dinner.
the playground rule was clear: no tattletales unless someone was in real danger.
Etymology
the word tattletale is a reduplicative compound formed within english. the first element, tattle, is an onomatopoeic verb from the late middle english period, imitative of idle chatter. the second element, tale, is a native english word from old english, originally meaning a narrative or account. when combined, the compound literally means "a teller of gossipy stories." it emerged in american english during the 19th century, specifically to describe a child who reveals the misdeeds of others to an authority figure, blending the sense of frivolous chatter with the act of reporting.
Analysis
tattle (from middle english tatelen, of imitative origin, meaning to chatter or gossip); tale (from old english talu, meaning a story, account, or number).