small talk

¹ American  

noun

1. light conversation; chitchat.

   Synonyms:

   gossip, chatter, banter

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small-talk ² 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 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 1745–55

Origin of small-talk²

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

How magical it all had been: the way we smiled at each other, the coquettish small talk, and the tender sound of our voices.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

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

From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026

I learned the first names of my immediate neighbors through brief elevator rides and laundry room small talk.

From Salon • Jan. 27, 2026

For several years they were blissfully free of loud colleagues and agonizing small talk.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025

As we painstakingly descended the stairs, they kept up a steady stream of small talk.

From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia

Related Words

• blather
• chatter
• chitchat
• pleasantry