babble

[bab-uhl]

verb (used without object)

babbled, babbling 

1. to utter sounds or words imperfectly, indistinctly, or without meaning.

2. to talk idly, irrationally, excessively, or foolishly; chatter or prattle.

   Synonyms: blather, drivel, gabble, chitchat

3. to make a continuous, murmuring sound.

   Synonyms: burble, gurgle, murmur

verb (used with object)

babbled, babbling 

1. to utter in an incoherent, foolish, or meaningless fashion.

2. to reveal foolishly or thoughtlessly.

   to babble a secret.

noun

1. inarticulate or imperfect speech.

2. foolish, meaningless, or incoherent speech; prattle.

3. a murmuring sound or a confusion of sounds.

4. babbling.

5. Telecommunications.,  a confused mixture of extraneous sounds in a circuit, resulting from cross talk from other channels.

babble

/ ˈbæbəl /

verb

1. to utter (words, sounds, etc) in an incoherent or indistinct jumble

2. (intr) to talk foolishly, incessantly, or irrelevantly

3. (tr) to disclose (secrets, confidences, etc) carelessly or impulsively

4. (intr) (of streams, birds, etc) to make a low murmuring or bubbling sound

noun

1. incoherent or foolish speech; chatter

2. a murmuring or bubbling sound

Other Word Forms

• outbabble verb (used with object)
• babblement noun
• babbling noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of babble¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English babelen; cognate with Old Norse babbla, Dutch babbelen, German pappelen

Word History and Origins

Origin of babble¹

C13: compare Dutch babbelen , Swedish babbla , French babiller to prattle, Latin babulus fool; probably all of imitative origin

Example Sentences

He babbled in a mix of languages and pounded his fists on the nursery wall until the plaster threatened to crack.

Read more on Literature

Madame Pyrénées, the geography teacher, babbled excitedly in French and then embraced Penelope and the children in turn until she was breathless from planting multiple kisses on each cheek.

Read more on Literature

She resumed her excited babble as she tore open the invitation.

Read more on Literature

I spent days pressing a light-up toy when we said his name to draw his attention and babbled incessantly in his face so he could copy my lip patterns.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"He's hitting his milestones just as he should be, and he's putting on weight nicely while giving us lots of laughs and babbles; everything a baby should be doing," he added.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• blubber 
• burble 
• mumble 
• murmur 
• mutter