babble

Meaning

Verb

1. (intransitive) To utter words indistinctly or unintelligibly; to utter inarticulate sounds
2. (intransitive) To talk incoherently; to utter meaningless words.
3. (intransitive) To talk too much; to chatter; to prattle.
4. (intransitive) To make a continuous murmuring noise, like shallow water running over stones.
5. (transitive) To utter in an indistinct or incoherent way; to repeat words or sounds in a childish way without understanding.
6. (transitive) To reveal; to give away (a secret).

Noun

1. (uncountable, usually) Idle talk; senseless prattle
2. (uncountable, usually) Inarticulate speech; constant or confused murmur.
3. (uncountable, usually) A sound like that of water gently flowing around obstructions.

Synonyms

chatter

prattle

jabber

murmur

gabble

prate

chat

talk

🗣️

mutter

mumble

gibberish

purl

blather

gossip

blab

talk nonsense

gab

gurgle

blabber

babbling

whisper

stammer

natter

drivel

burble

twaddle

tattle

stutter

ripple

bubble

noise

confusion

yammer

brawl

gobbledygook

be talkative

gibber

chitchat

say

🗣️

rattle

rave

sing

double Dutch

blether

prattling

ramble

smatter

hubbub

guggle

nattering

Translations

schwatzen

bavarder

babiller

schwätzen

murmeln

plappern

babbelen

charlar

jaser

plaudern

babillage

φλυαρώ

murmurer

praten

🗣️

chiacchierare

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈbæb.(ə)l/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: babelen

Inherited from Old English: *bæblian

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: babbelje

Cognate with Western Frisian: babbelje

Cognate with Dutch: babbelen

Cognate with German: babbeln

Cognate with Danish: bable

Cognate with Swedish: babbla

Cognate with Icelandic: babla

In summary

From Middle English babelen, from Old English *bæblian, also wæflian (“to talk foolishly”), from Proto-West Germanic *bablōn, *wablōn, variants of *babalōn, from Proto-Germanic *babalōną (“to chatter”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰa-bʰa-, perhaps a reduplication of Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- (“to say”), or a variant of Proto-Indo-European *baba- (“to talk vaguely, mumble”), or a merger of the two, possibly ultimately onomatopoeic/mimicry of infantile sounds (compare babe, baby).
Cognate with Saterland Frisian babbelje (“to babble”), West Frisian babbelje (“to babble”), Dutch babbelen (“to babble, chat”), German Low German babbeln (“to babble”), German babbeln (“to babble”), Danish bable, bavle (“to babble”), Swedish babbla (“to babble”), Icelandic babla (“to babble”). Unrelated to Babel.