drivel

[ driv-uhl ]

noun

1. saliva flowing from the mouth, or mucus from the nose; slaver.
2. childish, silly, or meaningless talk or thinking; nonsense; twaddle.

verb (used without object)

, driv·eled, driv·el·ing or (especially British) driv·elled, driv·el·ling.

1. to let saliva flow from the mouth or mucus from the nose; slaver.
2. to talk childishly or idiotically.
3. Archaic. to issue like spittle.

verb (used with object)

, driv·eled, driv·el·ing or (especially British) driv·elled, driv·el·ling.

1. to utter childishly or idiotically.
2. to waste foolishly.

drivel

/ ˈdrɪvəl /

verb

1. to allow (saliva) to flow from the mouth; dribble
2. intr to speak foolishly or childishly

noun

1. foolish or senseless talk
2. saliva flowing from the mouth; slaver

Derived Forms

• ˈdriveller, noun

Other Words From

• drivel·er especially British, drivel·ler noun
• drivel·ing·ly especially British, drivel·ling·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of drivel¹

before 1000; Middle English dryvelen, variant of drevelen, Old English dreflian; akin to draff

Word History and Origins

Origin of drivel¹

Old English dreflian to slaver; see draff

Example Sentences

In modern times responding to such drivel somehow validates the claim.

From Washington Post

Iggy's relatively mature response to this drug-addled drivel?

From The Daily Beast

Netanyahu's meandering and uninspired drivel left many confused but I will attempt to summarize it.

From The Daily Beast

Your most grating acquaintance could – and usually would – bombard you with reams of unoriginal drivel at the press of a key.

From The Daily Beast

The film director has just co-written a revisionist history of the United States that is ideological drivel.

From The Daily Beast

Is Christopher Nolan's Inception a masterpiece, drivel, too confusing?

From The Daily Beast

But Canon Drivel's daughter did not deign to answer, she merely rang for prayers.

From Project Gutenberg

Had Teufelsdrockh also a father and mother; did he, at one time, wear drivel-bibs, and live on spoon-meat?

From Project Gutenberg

If you have a heart, sooner or later you get into a state of drivel about somebody, who probably doesn't drivel about you.

From Project Gutenberg

It can't be worse than going about with you and listening while you crow and drivel about her, that's one comfort!

From Project Gutenberg

"Stow that drivel, cookie," growled a voice which I recognized as belonging to the older Fleming.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• babble
• blather
• gibberish
• nonsense
• tripe