chatter
/ˈt͡ʃætɚ/noun, verb
chatter is spelled C-H-A-T-T-E-R: 7 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 2.4 times per million words in written English, the 17,587th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, chatter means “Talk, especially meaningless or unimportant talk” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of chatter is chatters.
How many letters and syllables are in chatter?
| Letters | 7: C-H-A-T-T-E-R |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 2.4 times per million words; the 17,587th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with | |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is chatter?
Chatter appears 2.4 times per million words in written English, the 17,587th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce chatter?
- UK /ˈtʃætə/
- US /ˈt͡ʃætɚ/
Chatter has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-chatter.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with chatter?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as chatter from its last stressed vowel (/ætəɹ/):
Spelled with the same letters in another order: ratchet.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of chatter
- chatters plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- chattering participle, present
- chattered participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does chatter mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Talk, especially meaningless or unimportant talk.
- 2
The sound of talking.
- 3
The vocalisations of a Eurasian magpie, Pica pica.
- 4
The vocalisations of various birds or other animals.
- 5
An intermittent noise, as from vibration.
Proper brake adjustment will help to reduce the chatter.
- 6
In national security, the degree of communication between suspect groups and individuals, used to gauge the degree of expected terrorist activity.
The NSA is concerned about increased chatter between known terror groups.
- 7
The situation where a drill or similar tool vibrates and tears the material rather than cutting it cleanly.
- 8
A group of songbirds.
- 9
One who chats.
- 10
A user of livestream chat.
- 11
A user of chat rooms.
verb
- 1
To talk idly.
They knitted and chattered the whole time.
- 2
To make a noise by rapid collisions.
He was so cold that his teeth were chattering.
- 3
To utter sounds which somewhat resemble language, but are inarticulate and indistinct.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Chatter in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | jacassement, bagou, blabla, laïus , bavardage , bavarder |
| German | Geplapper, Gequatsche, Geschnatter, Gequake, Geschwätz, Gequassel |
| Portuguese | falatório , burburinho , bater papo, papear , zumbido |
| Spanish | parloteo, cotorreo, cháchara, palique , vocerío , castañeteo |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does chatter come from?
From Middle English chateren, from earlier cheteren, chiteren (“to twitter, chatter, jabber”), of imitative origin. Compare Saterland Frisian tjoaterje (“to chatter”), West Frisian tsjotterje (“to chatter”), Dutch schateren, schetteren (“chatter”), Dutch koeteren (“jabber”), Middle Low German kidderen (“to chatter”), German Low German queteln (“to chatter”), dialectal German kaudern (“to gobble (like a turkey)”), Danish kvidre (“to twitter, chirp”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).