small-talk

¹ American  

[smawl-tawk] / ˈsmɔlˌtɔk /

verb (used without object)

1. to engage in or have a propensity for small talk.

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small talk ² American  

noun

1. light conversation; chitchat.

   Synonyms:

   gossip, chatter, banter

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small talk British  

noun

1. light conversation for social occasions

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small talk Idioms  

1. Casual or trivial conversation, chitchat, as in We stood around making small talk until the guest of honor arrived. The small in this expression alludes to unimportant subjects of conversation, as opposed to serious or weighty ones. [Mid-1700s]

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Etymology

Origin of small-talk¹

First recorded in 1780–90

Origin of small talk¹

First recorded in 1745–55

Example Sentences

But the old tree doesn’t bother much with small talk, so I moved on with my business.

From Literature

The 44-year-old listened to her colleagues’ speeches and those of other hopefuls, made small talk with fellow members and then left.

From Los Angeles Times

The state is the kind of place where small talk about the weather turns into a half-hour conversation about life; a place where citizens greet or wave to strangers while driving or walking past them.

From Salon

The question is nothing more than a politician’s well-worn small talk, but Travis says, gravely, “You should clean up this city here.”

From The Wall Street Journal

A quick "You okay?" followed by "Yeah, I'm fine" is surface-level small talk.

From BBC

Related Words

• blather
• chatter
• chitchat
• pleasantry