telltale

/ˈtɛlˌteɪl/
noun
  1. A person who reveals secrets or private information about others, especially to an authority figure.
    • The kids called him a telltale after he told the teacher who broke the window.
    • In some workplaces, a telltale is disliked because they report every small mistake.
    • She was known as a telltale in the neighborhood for always sharing gossip.
  2. A sign or indicator that reveals something hidden or secret.
    • The empty cookie jar was a telltale of the midnight snack.
    • A slight blush can be a telltale of embarrassment.
    • The muddy footprints were a telltale that someone had entered the house.
adjective
  1. Revealing or indicating something that is meant to be hidden or secret.
    • He had a telltale smudge of lipstick on his collar.
    • There were telltale scratches on the door from the cat.
    • The telltale signs of a lie include avoiding eye contact.
What does "telltale" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean