Nosy means: Having a large or elongated nose.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up. For most families this word will pass by without incident; it is more a vocabulary curiosity than a parenting concern.
nosy
Having a large or elongated nose.
Seen in the wild
When I say my cat is as nosy as I am... Keep in mind the window blinds with the sniper hole are in the OTHER room
FAlanders more like. No, my hood is just full of nosy jerks and dudes who don’t care if their kid tried to run mine through with a huge metal garden stake. It’s fun. I guess. Not really. Kinda hate my neighbors.
Tonight, 5/5, we continue the Indie game "This Bed We Made". Everyone really enjoyed the vibes of it last time, so we are gonna be a naturally curious cat (read as: nosy as f***) and dig into everyone in this hotel's…
looking at wedding dress videos again #nosy
Had a dream last night that Blair and Finn were getting talked to by the cops by some nosy bitch that thought Finn was getting trafficked so I walked in like "that's my mom and my brother" and they finally left. Finn…
Definitions
Having a large or elongated nose.
Nosy means: Having a large or elongated nose.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up. For most families this word will pass by without incident; it is more a vocabulary curiosity than a parenting concern.
nosy means: Having a large or elongated nose.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.
Comments
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.
Comments
(UK, slang) A look at something to satisfy one's curiosity.
I might wander down to the construction site for a nosy at what they're building.
“When I say my cat is as nosy as I am... Keep in mind the window blinds with the sniper hole are in the OTHER room”
— Bluesky· May 2026“FAlanders more like. No, my hood is just full of nosy jerks and dudes who don’t care if their kid tried to run mine through with a huge metal garden stake. It’s fun. I guess. Not really. Kinda hate my neighbors.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Tonight, 5/5, we continue the Indie game "This Bed We Made". Everyone really enjoyed the vibes of it last time, so we are gonna be a naturally curious cat (read as: nosy as f***) and dig into everyone in this hotel's business! #Vtuber #twitch #indiegame #streamer #gaming”
— Bluesky· May 2026“looking at wedding dress videos again #nosy”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Had a dream last night that Blair and Finn were getting talked to by the cops by some nosy bitch that thought Finn was getting trafficked so I walked in like "that's my mom and my brother" and they finally left. Finn was looking for a gift for me, it was at a mall I think”
— Bluesky· May 2026
Comments
For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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