noun Uncommon

chatter

CHA-tuh

Chatter (noun) means Talk that goes on and on without saying much of substance. Example: “The office was full of nervous chatter before the announcement.”

noun

Talk that goes on and on without saying much of substance.

"The office was full of nervous chatter before the announcement."

"She tuned out the chatter and focused on her work."

A rapid, rattling sound, as from vibration or teeth knocking together.

"The chatter of his teeth gave away how cold he was."

"There was a strange chatter coming from the drill as it hit the tile."

verb

To talk quickly and casually about unimportant things.

"The kids chattered all the way home from school."

"They chattered about the party for the rest of the afternoon."

To rattle or click rapidly, as teeth in the cold or a tool vibrating.

"His teeth chattered as he stood in the icy wind."

How to use chatter

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishFast, light talk (or a fast, rattling sound) — think teeth chattering in the cold or people chattering over coffee.

Common pairings

idle chatter teeth chatter nervous chatter

Word forms

chattered past tense, chatters plural, chatters plural, chatters singular

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The office was full of nervous _____ before the announcement.

Etymology

From Middle English chateren, an imitative word mimicking the sound of rapid, repetitive noise — the same root behind similar words in Dutch and German for chattering.

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

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babble bavardage bibble-babble blab blabber blabbing blather blathering chinwag chit-chat claver clepe

Related words

say talk speak nonsense gossip chatting informant ripple

Rhymes for chatter

matter batter hatter latter patter scatter shatter flatter clatter spatter platter squatter

See all rhymes for chatter →

Frequently asked questions

What does “chatter” mean?

The word “chatter” means talk that goes on and on without saying much of substance. In plain terms, fast, light talk (or a fast, rattling sound) — think teeth chattering in the cold or people chattering over coffee.

How do you pronounce “chatter”?

“Chatter” is pronounced CHA-tuh (/ˈt͡ʃætɚ/ in IPA).

How do you use “chatter” in a sentence?

Here is “chatter” used in a sentence: “The office was full of nervous chatter before the announcement.”

What is another word for “chatter”?

Words with a similar meaning to “chatter” include babble, bavardage, bibble-babble, blab, blabber and blabbing.

What part of speech is “chatter”?

Depending on how it is used, “chatter” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “chatter” come from?

The word “chatter” comes from Middle English. From Middle English chateren, an imitative word mimicking the sound of rapid, repetitive noise — the same root behind similar words in Dutch and German for chattering.

Is “chatter” a common word?

“Chatter” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “chatter” have?

“Chatter” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: talk that goes on and on without saying much of substance.

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say talk speak nonsense gossip chatting informant ripple