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chatter

n. uncountable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈtʃætɝ// UK //tʃˈætɐ// chat·ter

n. light, rapid, and often noisy talking. It can also mean the sound of birds or insects making quick calls.

n. rapid, continuous, and often trivial speech or sound; frequently used to describe the noisy activity of a group or the calls of birds and insects.


SIMPLE

The children's chatter filled the room.

CONTEXTUAL

I tried to read, but the office chatter was too loud.

COMPLEX

The morning air was alive with the cheerful chatter of sparrows in the oak tree.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

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”).

Etymology 2

chat + -er

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