Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Tattler

Tat′tler

,
Noun.
1.
One who tattles; an idle talker; one who tells tales.
Jer. Taylor.
2.
(Zool.)
Any one of several species of large, long-legged sandpipers belonging to the genus
Totanus
.
☞ The common American species are the greater tattler, or telltale (
Totanus melanoleucus
), the smaller tattler, or lesser yellowlegs (
Totanus flavipes
), the solitary tattler (
Totanus solitarius
), and the semipalmated tattler, or willet. The first two are called also
telltale
,
telltale spine
,
telltale tattler
,
yellowlegs
,
yellowshanks
, and
yelper.

Webster 1828 Edition


Tattler

TAT'TLER

,
Noun.
One who tattles; an idle talker; one that tells tales.

Definition 2024


tattler

tattler

English

Noun

tattler (plural tattlers)

  1. One who tattles (notifies authorities of illicit behavior) or is inclined to do so; a tattletale.
    My sister is a big tattler; she always tells Mommy when I hit her!
  2. Either of two similar bird species in the shorebird genus Heteroscelus (Tringa in some taxonomies).
  3. A device fitted to a vehicle to measure mileage etc.
    • 1960, Edward Hogland, The circle home
      A few truck drivers griped drowsily about the tattlers in their cabs which graphed the mileage per hour per day.
    • 2002, National Association of EMS Physicians, Prehospital Systems and Medical Oversight (page 270)
      Electronic monitors (black box, tattlers) help to define the actions of the driver during normal and emergent operation of the EMS unit.

Usage notes

  • The tattletale sense is generally applied only to children.

Synonyms

Translations

Anagrams