busybody
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Puzzle #271 · February 27, 2026
Busybody is someone who pries into others‘ affairs—a meddler. The compound first appeared in 1526, using ’busy‘ in an archaic sense: ’prying‘ or ’meddlesome.‘ The culture around the word crystallized through Susanna Centlivre's 1709 comedy ’The Busy Body,‘ which featured a character named Marplot whose entire function was stirring up trouble by poking into everyone's business.
The name Marplot is a pun—’mar‘ means ’ruin,‘ and ’plot‘ is the story. That character's name became so recognizable across English culture that ’Marplot‘ itself became a generic term for busybody types. In recent times, Marplot faded but busybody has grown and lasted. The play gave the word cultural weight and comedy: the busybody isn't evil, just tiresome and well-meaning but ultimately destructive. See more at https://www.etymonline.com/word/busybody
The name Marplot is a pun—’mar‘ means ’ruin,‘ and ’plot‘ is the story. That character's name became so recognizable across English culture that ’Marplot‘ itself became a generic term for busybody types. In recent times, Marplot faded but busybody has grown and lasted. The play gave the word cultural weight and comedy: the busybody isn't evil, just tiresome and well-meaning but ultimately destructive. See more at https://www.etymonline.com/word/busybody
Puzzle Appearances
The expression busybody has appeared in 1 puzzle:
- Puzzle #271 on February 27, 2026
Rate of Appearance in English Language Print
Google's Ngram project shows how often a pair of words has appeared in print every year since the 1800's.
Data from Google Books Ngram Viewer. Licensed under CC BY 3.0.
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