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. MutterAnne-Sophie1963FGermanMUSIC: violinist Anne-Sophie. born 1963, German violinist

Derived Forms

• ˈmutterer, noun
• ˈmutteringly, adverb
• ˈmuttering, nounadjective

Other Words From

• mutter·er noun
• mutter·ing·ly adverb
• un·muttered adjective
• un·mutter·ing adjective
• un·mutter·ing·ly adverb

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

As Democrats mutter privately that their Senate majority is sinking beneath the waves, their leadership has sent out an SOS.

From The Daily Beast

But when you do so, make sure to mutter the appropriate things about poverty, “the empire,” and the scourge of “neoliberalism.”

From The Daily Beast

The theory here seems to be that to mutter about the jews off the record would be perfectly fine.

From The Daily Beast

In Germany, die Mutter has been known to graduate from a promising career to welfare to stay with her children.

From The Daily Beast

He fired with an accuracy of aim that won him an admiring mutter, although to miss would have been almost as noteworthy.

From Project Gutenberg

"It's not Joan I've killed at any rate," I heard him mutter as she turned and opened her eyes and smiled faintly up in his face.

From Project Gutenberg

For all that, an occasional mutter came unheeded to his ears, the closed curtains preserving articulate sounds like room walls.

From Project Gutenberg

But Richard would cross himself and mutter prayers, calling on every saint to fight against the assailing devils.

From Project Gutenberg

And he in turn told a story that made men cross themselves and mutter their Glorias.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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