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• small talk
  small talk

  noun

  light conversation; chitchat.
• small-talk
  small-talk

  verb (used without object)

  to engage in or have a propensity for small talk.

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

The rapprochement usually starts out small, maybe with a text message here or there or small talk at a family event.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 30, 2026

When Vladimir Putin was captured by a hot mic telling Xi Jinping that humans could achieve immortality by replacing their organs, some dismissed the exchange as eccentric small talk between aging autocrats.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

Imagine if you’re a nominee, getting shuttled to and fro, shaking hands and making small talk.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2026

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

From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026

What my dad wanted, I suspect, was the thing everybody seems to want: small talk.

From "The Thing About Jellyfish" by Ali Benjamin

Related Words

• blather
• chatter
• chitchat
• pleasantry