mutter
mut·ter/ˈmʌtɚ/noun, verb
mutter is spelled M-U-T-T-E-R: 6 letters and 2 syllables (mut·ter). It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 38,416th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, mutter means “A repressed or obscure utterance; an instance of muttering” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of mutter is mutters.
How many letters and syllables are in mutter?
| Letters | 6: M-U-T-T-E-R |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: mut·ter |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 38,416th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; 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 mutter?
Mutter appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 38,416th 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 mutter?
- UK /ˈmʌtə/
- US /ˈmʌtɚ/
- US [ˈmʌɾɚ]
Mutter has 2 syllables, split mut·ter in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-mutter.ogg, En-au-mutter.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with mutter?
11 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as mutter from its last stressed vowel (/ʌtəɹ/):
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 mutter
- mutters plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- muttering participle, present
- muttered participle, past
- matar
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does mutter mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A repressed or obscure utterance; an instance of muttering.
The prisoners were docile, and accepted their lot with barely a mutter.
- 2
Peas.
verb
- 1
To utter words, especially complaints or angry expressions, indistinctly or with a low voice and lips partly closed; to say under one's breath.
You could hear the students mutter as they were served sodden spaghetti, yet again, in the cafeteria.
- 2
To speak softly and incoherently, or with imperfect articulations.
The asylum inmate muttered some doggerel about chains and pains to himself, over and over.
- 3
To make a sound with a low, rumbling noise.
April could hear the delivery van's engine muttering in the driveway.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Mutter in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | marmonnement, marmottement , grommeler, marmonner, marmotter , grogner |
| German | Brummen, Murmeln, Murren, Nuscheln , murmeln |
| Portuguese | murmúrio , resmungar , murmurar |
| Spanish | murmurar , balbucear, rozarse |
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 mutter come from?
From Middle English muteren, moteren, of imitative origin. Compare Low German mustern, musseln (“to whisper”), German muttern (“to mutter; whisper”), Old Norse muðla (“to murmur”). Compare also Latin muttīre, mutīre.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).