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definitions

utter

1
[ uht-er ]
/ ˈʌt ər /
|
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verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

to employ the faculty of speech; use the voice to talk, make sounds, etc.: His piety prevented him from uttering on religion.
to sustain utterance; undergo speaking: Those ideas are so dishonest they will not utter.

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RELATED WORDS

sheer, unmitigated, pure, recite, pronounce, blurt, whisper, express, deliver, mutter, articulate, enunciate, assert, shout, proclaim, speak, perfect, complete, confounded, blessed

Nearby words

  1. utrillo, maurice,
  2. utsunomiya,
  3. uttar pradesh,
  4. uttarakhand,
  5. uttaranchal,
  6. utter a word,
  7. utter barrister,
  8. utterance,
  9. uttering,
  10. utterly

Origin of utter

1
1350–1400; Middle English outren (see out, -er6); cognate with German äussern to declare
Related formsut·ter·a·ble, adjectiveut·ter·er, nounut·ter·less, adjectiveun·ut·tered, adjective
Can be confusedudder utter

utter

2
[ uht-er ]
/ ˈʌt ər /

adjective

complete; total; absolute: her utter abandonment to grief.
unconditional; unqualified: an utter denial.

Origin of utter

2
before 900; Middle English; Old English uttra, ūtera outer. See out, -er4
Related formsut·ter·ness, noun

Synonym study

1. See absolute.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for utter

British Dictionary definitions for utter

utter

1
/ (ˈʌtə) /

verb

to give audible expression to (something)to utter a growl
criminal law to put into circulation (counterfeit coin, forged banknotes, etc)
(tr) to make publicly known; publishto utter slander
obsolete to give forth, issue, or emit
Derived Formsutterable, adjectiveutterableness, nounutterer, nounutterless, adjective

Word Origin for utter

C14: probably originally a commercial term, from Middle Dutch ūteren (modern Dutch uiteren) to make known; related to Middle Low German ūtern to sell, show

adjective

(prenominal) (intensifier)an utter fool; utter bliss; the utter limit

Word Origin for utter

C15: from Old English utera outer, comparative of ūte out (adv); related to Old High German ūzaro, Old Norse ūtri
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012