spat

¹ American  

[spat] / spæt /

noun

1. a petty quarrel.

   Synonyms:

   set-to, scrap, tiff

2. a light blow; slap; smack.

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verb (used without object)

spatted, spatting

1. to engage in a petty quarrel or dispute.

2. to splash or spatter; rain spatting against the window.

verb (used with object)

spatted, spatting

1. to strike lightly; slap.

spat ² American  

[spat] / spæt /

verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of spit.

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spat ³ American  

[spat] / spæt /

noun

1. a short gaiter worn over the instep and usually fastened under the foot with a strap, worn especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

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spat ⁴ American  

[spat] / spæt /

noun

Zoology.

1. the spawn of an oyster or similar shellfish.

2. young oysters collectively, especially seed oysters.

3. a young oyster.

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spat ¹ British  

/ spæt /

noun

1. rare a slap or smack

2. a slight quarrel

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verb

1. rare to slap (someone)

2. (intr) to have a slight quarrel

spat ² British  

/ spæt /

noun

1. a larval oyster or similar bivalve mollusc, esp when it settles to the sea bottom and starts to develop a shell

2. such oysters or other molluscs collectively

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spat ³ British  

/ spæt /

verb

1. a past tense and past participle of spit 1

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spat ⁴ British  

/ spæt /

noun

1. another name for gaiter

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Etymology

Origin of spat¹

An Americanism dating back to 1795–1805; perhaps imitative

Origin of spat³

First recorded in 1795–1805; short for spatterdash

Origin of spat⁴

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; origin uncertain

Explanation

You probably recognize the word spat from the phrase "lover's spat," which describes a minor squabble between a couple. The spat is usually over something as silly as which partner has to do the laundry, and the relationship usually recovers quickly, with no long-term harm done. For the purposes of this definition, the noun spat refers to a minor argument or mild bickering. That is the definition by which spat is probably best known, but the word has other meanings. Depending on how you use spat, it can be the past participle of spit, the short piece of leather men wore over their shoes in the old days, or an oyster that hasn't quite reached its prime.

Example Sentences

President Volodymyr Zelensky will skip this year's Ukraine Recovery Conference hosted in Poland, Kyiv announced Tuesday, amid a spiralling diplomatic spat between the allies and neighbours over World War II memory.

From Barron's • Jun. 23, 2026

The spat between the businessmen marks the latest twist in a heated dispute that first exploded into public view in 2023, roughly a decade after Paulson began investing in Puerto Rican real estate.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 17, 2026

Many of the bills were spurred by AI developer Anthropic’s recent spat with the Pentagon, which raised questions about the Defense Department’s guardrails for keeping a human involved when AI is used.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

When questioned about the spat with White, Clark became defensive and essentially blamed the media.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026

The man grimaced, spat again, and muttered, “Damned orchestra.”

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

Related Words

• altercation
• bickering
• brouhaha
• difference of opinion
• disagreement
• discord
• falling-out
• feud
• flare-up
• fracas
• friction
• misunderstanding
• run-in
• squabble
• strife
• tiff