# patter

/ˈpætɝ/ (US) · /pˈætɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/patter
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. a tapping sound

noun · CEFR B2

a quick series of light tapping sounds, like rain hitting a window or small feet running.

For teachers: a continuous series of quick, light tapping sounds. Often used in the context of precipitation or the movement of small animals or children.

- I fell asleep listening to the gentle patter of rain on the tent roof.
- The rhythmic patter of paws across the hardwood floor announced the dog's excitement long before he reached the kitchen door.

### 2. fast speech

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

fast, clever talk used by someone like a comedian or a salesperson to keep people interested.

For teachers: rapid and glib speech, typically used by an entertainer, salesperson, or auctioneer to distract, entertain, or persuade.

- The magician kept up a constant stream of funny patter to distract the audience.
- The street vendor's practiced patter was so engaging that even skeptical tourists stopped to listen to his sales pitch.

### 3. to make tapping sounds

verb · CEFR B2

to make a series of quick, light sounds by tapping on a surface.

For teachers: to make a quick succession of light, soft tapping sounds. Intransitive in this sense.

- The children pattered down the hallway in their bare feet to see their presents.
- Rain began to patter against the skylight, growing louder as the summer storm intensified over the valley.

### 4. to speak quickly

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal · Literary

to talk very fast and easily, often in a way that sounds rehearsed.

For teachers: to speak glibly and rapidly, often as part of a professional routine or performance.

- The auctioneer pattered through the list of items at an incredible speed.
- He pattered his lines with such mechanical precision that the emotional weight of the play was entirely lost on the audience.

## Examples

- The comedian used a fast patter to keep the audience laughing.
- The patter of the rain against the window was the only sound in the quiet room.
- The actor's rapid patter filled the silence, masking the tension in the room with a stream of clever, if slightly irrelevant, observations.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.