chitchat

[chit-chat]

noun

1. light conversation; casual talk; gossip.

verb (used without object)

chitchatted, chitchatting 

1. to indulge in chitchat; gossip.

chitchat

/ ˈtʃɪtˌtʃæt /

noun

1. talk of a gossipy nature

verb

1. (intr) to gossip

Other Word Forms

• chitchatty adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of chitchat¹

First recorded in 1700–10; gradational compound based on chat

Example Sentences

“Say, Faucet old chap, come join me in my study for a cigar. Too much chitchat going on in here, what?”

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A lot of hedge fund managers spent time chitchatting with their investors and treated their quarterly letters to them as a formality.

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The next two hours were filled with chitchat in between sets: Nicole’s end-of-school-year frenzy, Rich’s musician thoughts about those sweet drum riffs and where we should all go to grab a bite after.

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Why spend energy on casual chitchat when Viv was always ready to dive deep?

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The school system’s chief financial officer, for example, doesn’t want to chitchat and won’t share data until he knows what you’ll do with it.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• gossip 
• small talk