mutter

[muht-er]

verb (used without object)

1. to utter words indistinctly or in a low tone, often as if talking to oneself; murmur.

2. to complain murmuringly; grumble.

3. to make a low, rumbling sound.

verb (used with object)

1. to utter indistinctly or in a low tone.

   to mutter complaints.

noun

1. the act or utterance of a person who mutters.

mutter

¹

/ ˈmʌtə /

verb

1. to utter (something) in a low and indistinct tone

2. (intr) to grumble or complain

3. (intr) to make a low continuous murmuring sound

noun

1. a muttered sound or complaint

Mutter

²

/ ˈmʊtə /

noun

1. Anne-Sophie. born 1963, German violinist

Other Word Forms

• mutterer noun
• mutteringly adverb
• unmuttered adjective
• unmuttering adjective
• unmutteringly adverb
• muttering noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of mutter¹

1325–75; Middle English moteren, perhaps frequentative of moot ( Old English mōtian to speak); -er ⁶

Word History and Origins

Origin of mutter¹

C14 moteren; related to Norwegian (dialect) mutra, Old High German mutilōn; compare Old English mōtian to speak

Synonym Study

See murmur.

Example Sentences

But from the Russians, apart from some discontented mutterings about European involvement and unauthorised leaks, the response has been somewhat muted.

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“The children of the Earth shall perish,” Ama mutters to herself.

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“A baby, a baby, a baby!” he muttered as he paged through his almanac.

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“Blast,” she muttered, as Lord Fredrick so often did when he could not find his almanac.

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“It was a warbler,” Cassiopeia muttered to Beowulf as she fended off Alexander with her abacus.

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Related Words

• complain 
• groan 
• growl 
• moan 
• murmur 
• snarl 
• sputter 
• whisper