Patter Definition

pătər
pattered, pattering, patters
verb
pattered, pattering, patters
To make a quick succession of light soft tapping sounds.
Rain pattered steadily against the glass.
American Heritage
To make a patter.
Webster's New World
To run or move along so as to make a patter.
Webster's New World
To move with quick, light, softly audible steps.
American Heritage
To speak or mumble rapidly or glibly; recite (prayers, etc.) mechanically or thoughtlessly.
Webster's New World
Antonyms:
  • be silent
noun
patters
A series of quick, light taps.
The patter of rain on leaves.
Webster's New World
Language peculiar to a group, class, etc., and not generally understood by outsiders; cant; jargon.
Webster's New World
The glib, rapid speech of salespeople, comedians, magicians, etc.
Webster's New World
Idle, meaningless chatter.
Webster's New World
A person or thing that pats.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
Antonyms:

Other Word Forms of Patter

Noun

Singular:
patter
Plural:
patters

Origin of Patter

  • Circa 1400, from paternoster (“the Lord's prayer"), possibly influenced by imitative sense (above), Latin pater (“father"), from Proto-Indo-European *phâ‚‚tḗr.

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English pateren shortening and alteration of paternoster paternoster (from the mechanical and rapid recitation of the prayer) paternoster

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • 1610s, pat +"Ž -er (“frequentative (indicating repeated action)"), of (onomatopoeia) origin.

    From Wiktionary

  • Noun attested 1758, originally referring to the cant of thieves and beggers.

    From Wiktionary

  • pat +"Ž -er (“agent")

    From Wiktionary

  • Frequentative of pat

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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