chatter

chatter — verb

1. to speak quickly and at length about everyday or unimportant subjects, often in

1.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to speak quickly and at length about everyday or unimportant subjects, often in a friendly or lively way

Example

Two friends sat in a café and chattered about their weekend plans for an hour.

chatter + about + topic of conversation

Aiko chattered happily on the phone with her cousin about a new film.

chatter + happily (adverb modifier)

Common collocations
  • chatter about
  • chatter away
  • chatter excitedly
  • chatter happily
  • chatter on
Synonyms
  • chat

    more neutral and common; chatter suggests faster, more animated talk

  • gossip

    specifically about other people's private lives, often with negative connotation

  • prattle

    more dismissive; suggests childish or silly talk

Grammar Patterns

chatter + about + topic

Usage Note

Frequently used in the continuous form (be chattering) to describe an ongoing, lively conversation. Subject is typically a group of two or more people.

Common Mistakes

She chattered him about her day.
She chattered about her day with him.
chatter is intransitive; it does not take a direct object.
They chattered the whole evening important business.
They chattered the whole evening about nothing important.
chatter implies light, not serious, topics.

2. to make many quick, high-pitched noises — used of birds, monkeys, and similar an

2.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to make many quick, high-pitched noises — used of birds, monkeys, and similar animals

Example

The parrots in the garden chattered noisily as the sun began to set.

animal + chatter + adverb of manner

Leila could hear the squirrels chattering in the old oak tree outside her window.

Common collocations
  • birds chatter
  • monkeys chatter
  • squirrels chatter
  • chatter noisily
Synonyms
  • squeak

    a single short high sound, not a series

  • twitter

    almost exclusively for birds, softer sound than chatter

  • screech

    much louder and more piercing than chatter

Grammar Patterns

animal + chatter(s)

Usage Note

Used specifically of birds (especially parrots, magpies), monkeys, and squirrels. Not used for large animals (lions, horses) or insects.

3. Your teeth chatter when they knock together very quickly without you being able

3.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

Your teeth chatter when they knock together very quickly without you being able to stop them, usually because you feel extremely cold or frightened

Example

Diego stood in the cold wind, his teeth chattering so hard he could not speak.

teeth + chattering (progressive, describing physical state)

The hiker's teeth began to chatter as night fell and the temperature dropped below freezing.

Common collocations
  • teeth chatter
  • chattering teeth
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

teeth + chatter

Usage Note

Only used with teeth as the subject — you cannot use chatter to describe other body parts shaking from cold.

Common Mistakes

I was so cold that my hands started chattering.
I was so cold that my teeth started chattering.
only teeth chatter, not hands or other body parts.
Idioms

the chattering classes

idiom

A group of people who frequently express their opinions about politics and society.

The chattering classes debated the new policy on social media.

Maya's article criticized the chattering classes for ignoring rural issues.

chatter — noun

Word family

  • chattering
    adjectiveB2
  • chatterbox
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Chat, chatter, gossip, and prattle all describe informal spoken conversation, but they differ in tone and intensity. Chat is the most neutral and common word — it simply means talking in a friendly, relaxed way ("We chatted over coffee"). Chatter adds speed and length — it suggests non-stop, lively talk about everyday matters, often less serious than what chat can cover. Gossip has a specific social function: it focuses on other people's private lives, news, or affairs, often with a negative or judgmental tone. Prattle is more dismissive, implying childish or foolish talk of little value. Use chatter when you want to emphasize the quick, continuous, and light-hearted nature of conversation: "The office workers chattered about their weekends" feels different from the more neutral "The office workers chatted about their weekends."

chat ↗gossip ↗chatter ↗prattle

Common collocations

Nouns

  • teeth
  • birds
  • monkeys
  • squirrels
  • parrots
  • voices
  • office
  • social media

Adverbs

Phrases

  • chatter away
  • chatter on
  • idle chatter
  • constant chatter
  • online chatter

Prepositions

Etymology

Middle EnglishOld English (imitative)

Chatter comes from Middle English chateren, which is an imitative (onomatopoeic) word — it sounds like the rapid, repetitive noise it describes. It is related to the earlier word chat, which originally meant a casual talk, but chatter adds a sense of quick, repeated sounds. The connection to teeth knocking together (from cold or fear) appears in English by the 14th century, and the animal-sound sense followed naturally.