chatter

[chat-er]

verb (used without object)

1. to talk rapidly in a foolish or purposeless way; jabber.

2. to utter a succession of quick, inarticulate, speechlike sounds, as monkeys or certain birds.

   Synonyms: click, clatter

3. to make a rapid clicking noise by striking together.

   His teeth were chattering from the cold.

4. Machinery.,  (of a cutting tool or piece of metal) to vibrate during cutting so as to produce surface flaws on the work.

verb (used with object)

1. to utter rapidly or purposelessly.

2. to cause to chatter, as the teeth from cold.

noun

1. purposeless or foolish talk.

2. a series of waves or ridges on the surface of a piece of metal that has been imperfectly drawn or extruded.

3. the act or sound of chattering.

4. online, phone, radio, or other electronic communication among people, often involving a harmful political activity such as espionage or terrorism.

   Officials were able to intercept and identify a high level of terrorist chatter in the weeks before the bombing attempt.

chatter

/ ˈtʃætə /

verb

1. to speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly; prattle

2. (intr) (of birds, monkeys, etc) to make rapid repetitive high-pitched noises resembling human speech

3. (intr) (of the teeth) to click together rapidly through cold or fear

4. (intr) to make rapid intermittent contact with a component, as in machining, causing irregular cutting

noun

1. idle or foolish talk; gossip

2. the high-pitched repetitive noise made by a bird, monkey, etc

3. the rattling of objects, such as parts of a machine

4. Also called: chatter mark. the undulating pattern of marks in a machined surface from the vibration of the tool or workpiece

Other Word Forms

• chatteringly adverb
• chattery adjective
• outchatter verb (used with object)
• unchattering adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of chatter¹

1200–50; Middle English chateren; imitative

Word History and Origins

Origin of chatter¹

C13: of imitative origin

Example Sentences

As Ms. Picasso puts it: “There’s a lot of chatter going on between these works—like we’re eavesdropping at a party.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Madame Babushkinov was ill equipped to console the child, for she was a bundle of nerves herself and chattered nonstop.

Read more on Literature

To calm herself even further, Penelope kept up a steady stream of chatter under her breath.

Read more on Literature

As night fell, beneath twinkling string lights, laughter and chatter filled the air.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“Quiet on the set” didn’t apply to the sound of the camera’s old-timey chatter—when it was working.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• babble 
• blather 
• chat 
• chitchat 
• gossip