twitter

¹ American  

[twit-er] / ˈtwɪt ər /

verb (used without object)

1. to utter a succession of small, tremulous sounds, as a bird.

2. to talk lightly and rapidly, especially of trivial matters; chatter.

3. to titter; giggle.

4. to tremble with excitement or the like; be in a flutter.

5. Digital Technology. tweet.

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verb (used with object)

1. to express or utter by twittering.

noun

1. an act of twittering.

2. a twittering sound.

3. a state of tremulous excitement.

   Synonyms:

   fluster, tizzy, flutter

Twitter ² American  

Trademark.

1. a brand name for a social media service and website where registered users may post text that is limited to a certain number of characters, as well as links, photos, or videos.

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twitter ¹ British  

/ ˈtwɪtə /

verb

1. (intr) (esp of a bird) to utter a succession of chirping sounds

2. (intr) to talk or move rapidly and tremulously

3. (intr) to giggle

   her schoolmates twittered behind their desks

4. (tr) to utter in a chirping way

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noun

1. a twittering sound, esp of a bird

2. the act of twittering

3. a state of nervous excitement (esp in the phrase in a twitter )

Twitter ² British  

/ ˈtwɪtə /

noun

1. a website where people can post short messages about their current activities

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verb

1. (intr; sometimes not capital) to write a short message on the Twitter website

Other Word Forms

• twitterer noun
• twitteringly adverb
• twittery adjective

Etymology

Origin of twitter

1325–75; Middle English twiteren (v.); akin to German zwitschern

Explanation

To twitter is to make a sound like a bird's trill or chirp. One of the nicest things about spring is the sound of birds as they twitter in the trees. Tweet tweet! When birds twitter, they make a staccato, musical chirping sound. You can call this sound itself a twitter too. Sometimes the word is used to describe a similar sound made by chattering humans. In the fourteenth century, the word was twiteren, developed from an imitation of the sound that twittering birds make. Twitter is also a social media website founded in 2006, on which people post 140-character bursts of information called tweets. Wonder where they got that idea.

Example Sentences

“You dare block me on twitter... see my next move,” said one.

From BBC • Sep. 11, 2024

“LD check twitter asap,” Magee texted Donovan, “and prob fire your barber.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2024

“And soon we shall bid adieu to the twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds,” Musk posted on the site.

From Washington Times • Dec. 24, 2023

“Soon we shall bid adieu to the twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds,” he wrote.

From New York Times • Aug. 1, 2023

They talked until the birds began a sleepy twitter.

From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham

Related Words

• cheep
• chirp
• chirrup
• peep