# stutter

/ˈstətɝ/ (US) · /stˈʌtɐ/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stutter
Updated: 2026-05-18

## Definition

a sudden, sharp, and short movement or sound. It is an old word that people rarely use today.

For teachers: a sudden, sharp, and brief movement or sound. Archaic in modern usage, though it appears in historical texts and specific dialects.

## Examples

- The horse gave a sudden stutter before it ran.
- The old clock gave a loud stutter as the hour struck, waking everyone in the house.
- The manuscript contains several instances of a mechanical stutter in the printing, suggesting the press was not properly maintained during the final stages of the run.

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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.