utter

¹

[uht-er]

verb (used with object)

1. to give audible expression to; speak or pronounce.

   unable to utter her feelings;

   Words were uttered in my hearing.

   Synonyms: voice, verbalize, state, speak, say, pronounce, enunciate, articulate

2. to give forth (cries, notes, etc.) with the voice.

   to utter a sigh.

   Synonyms: breathe, give, emit

3. Phonetics.,  to produce (speech sounds, speechlike sounds, syllables, words, etc.) audibly, with or without reference to formal language.

4. to express (oneself or itself), especially in words.

5. to give forth (a sound) otherwise than with the voice.

   The engine uttered a shriek.

6. to express by written or printed words.

7. to make publicly known; publish.

   to utter a libel.

8. to put into circulation, as coins, notes, and especially counterfeit money or forged checks.

9. British Dialect.,  to expel; discharge or emit.

10. Obsolete.,  to publish, as a book.

11. Obsolete.,  to sell.

verb (used without object)

1. to employ the faculty of speech; use the voice to talk, make sounds, etc..

   His piety prevented him from uttering on religion.

2. to sustain utterance; undergo speaking.

   Those ideas are so dishonest they will not utter.

utter

²

[uht-er]

adjective

1. complete; total; absolute.

   her utter abandonment to grief;

   utter strangers.

2. unconditional; unqualified.

   an utter denial.

utter

¹

/ ˈʌtə /

verb

1. to give audible expression to (something)

   to utter a growl

2. criminal law to put into circulation (counterfeit coin, forged banknotes, etc)

3. (tr) to make publicly known; publish

   to utter slander

4. obsolete,  to give forth, issue, or emit

utter

²

/ ˈʌtə /

adjective

1. (prenominal) (intensifier)

   an utter fool

   utter bliss

   the utter limit

Other Word Forms

• utterless adjective
• utterer noun
• utterable adjective
• utterableness noun
• unuttered adjective
• utterness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of utter¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English outren, uttren; cognate with German äussern “to declare”; out, -er ⁶

Origin of utter²

First recorded before 900; Middle English outre, utter(e), Old English uttra, ūtera “outer”; out, -er ⁴

Word History and Origins

Origin of utter¹

C14: probably originally a commercial term, from Middle Dutch ūteren (modern Dutch uiteren ) to make known; related to Middle Low German ūtern to sell, show

Origin of utter²

C15: from Old English utera outer, comparative of ūte _out (adv); related to Old High German ūzaro, Old Norse ūtri

Synonym Study

See absolute.

Example Sentences

Keaton’s fabulous feathery silver outfits, her ability to utter lines like, “it’s pure keen,” with a straight face, and her substantial use of the “orgasmatron” made the role an instant classic.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It sounds like something you might utter right before vomiting.

Read more on Salon

These thick cloaks of dust might dim the stars' light to the point of utter undetectability.

Read more on Science Daily

In a display of utter domination, he torched the Yankees in two contests over the weekend, going 6 for 9 with a pair of homers and six RBIs.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The word also was uttered twice during a short video in which athletic director Martin Jarmond delivered the game ball to Skipper.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• announce 
• articulate 
• assert 
• asseverate 
• declaim 
• declare 
• deliver 
• enunciate 
• express 
• proclaim 
• pronounce 
• recite 
• speak