to tease or make fun of in a playful, good-natured way
Origin of banter
17th-c. slang from uncertain or unknown; perhaps to exchange banter (with someone)
good-natured teasing, ridicule, or joking
Banter between two friends.
- The definition of banter is a playful conversation.
Two people joking in a bar about which is the better football team is an example of banter.
- Banter is defined as teasing or joking with someone in a friendly way.
The way a musician speaks to their audience between songs is an example of banter.
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banter
Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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banter
noun
Good-humored, playful, or teasing conversation.
verb
ban·tered, ban·ter·ing, ban·tersverb
intransitiveTo engage in banter: bantered with her colleagues during a coffee break.
verb
transitiveTo speak to in a playful or teasing way: “She laughed and bantered him a little, remembering too late that she should have been dignified and reserved” ( Kate Chopin )
Origin of banter
Origin unknownRelated Forms:
- ban′ter·er
noun
- ban′ter·ing·ly
adverb
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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"Banter." YourDictionary. LoveToKnow. www.yourdictionary.com/Banter.
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Banter. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Banter
banter
banter chaff 2josh kid rag 2razz rib
These verbs mean to poke fun good-humoredly: bantered with her colleagues during a coffee break; chaffed him for forgetting the appointment; joshed her brother about his strange new haircut; kidded me about my outfit; ragged her for being so stubborn; razzed the teammate who missed the shot; ribbing a friend for being in love.
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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"Banter." YourDictionary. LoveToKnow. www.yourdictionary.com/Banter.
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Banter. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Banter
Noun
(uncountable)
- Good-humoured, playful, typically spontaneous conversation.
- It seemed like I'd have to listen to her playful banter for hours.
Verb
(third-person singular simple present banters, present participle bantering, simple past and past participle bantered)
Origin
The origin is unknown.
English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.
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"Banter." YourDictionary. LoveToKnow. www.yourdictionary.com/Banter.
APA Style
Banter. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Banter
