sputter

Etymology

Probably represents Middle English *sputren, *sputrien, a frequentative form of Middle English sputen ("to spout, vomit"), equivalent to spout plus -er. It is cognate with Saterland Frisian spüttern ("to inject, spray, splash"), West Frisian sputterje ("to sputter"), Dutch sputteren ("to sputter"), Low German sputtern, spruttern ("to sprinkle") and German sprudeln ("to spout, squirt"). Compare splutter.