chatter

/ˈtʃædər/

/ˈtʃætə/

Other forms: chattering; chattered; chatters

To chatter is to talk lightly or casually — to shoot the breeze or chitchat. You might chatter with your workmates about the weather or where you'll eat lunch.

You probably chatter with your friends all the time without even thinking about it, gossiping or talking about unimportant things. You can call the talk itself chatter too: "The chatter in the cafeteria was so loud I couldn't hear myself think." In the 13th century, it was chateren, from an imitative Middle English root.

Definitions of chatter

1. verb

   talk socially without exchanging too much information
   synonyms: chaffer, chat, chew the fat, chit-chat, chitchat, claver, confab, confabulate, gossip, jaw, natter, shoot the breeze, visit

   types:

   jawbone, schmoose, schmooze, shmoose, shmooze

   talk idly or casually and in a friendly way

   type of:

   converse, discourse

   carry on a conversation
2. verb

   speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
   synonyms: blab, blabber, clack, gabble, gibber, maunder, palaver, piffle, prate, prattle, tattle, tittle-tattle, twaddle, yammer

   types:

   babble, blather, blether, blither, smatter

   talk foolishly

   type of:

   mouth, speak, talk, utter, verbalise, verbalize

   express in speech
3. verb

   make noise as if chattering away
   “The magpies were chattering in the trees”

   type of:

   mouth, speak, talk, utter, verbalise, verbalize

   express in speech
4. verb

   click repeatedly or uncontrollably
   “Chattering teeth”

   synonyms: click

   type of:

   go, sound

   make a certain noise or sound
5. noun

   noisy talk
   synonyms: cackle, yack, yak, yakety-yak

   types:

   blether, chin music, idle talk, prate, prattle

   idle or foolish and irrelevant talk

   type of:

   talk, talking

   an exchange of ideas via conversation
6. noun

   the high-pitched continuing noise made by animals (birds or monkeys)
   synonyms: chattering

   type of:

   noise

   sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
7. noun

   the rapid series of noises made by the parts of a machine
   synonyms: chattering

   type of:

   noise

   sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
8. verb

   cut unevenly with a chattering tool
   type of:

   cut

   separate with or as if with an instrument