mumble

Meaning

Verb

1. (intransitive, transitive) To speak unintelligibly or inaudibly; to fail to articulate.
2. To chew something gently with closed lips.

Noun

A quiet or unintelligible vocalization; a low tone of voice.

Synonyms

mutter

murmur

babble

whisper

grumble

burble

maunder

gum

moan

mumbling

falter

mussitate

prate

grumble to oneself

hum

groan

slur

stammer

stutter

chatter

blabber

whimper

speak indistinctly

low

moo

murmuring

palaver

piffle

prattle

rumble

think over

tittle-tattle

twaddle

hem and haw

talk incoherently

talk nonsense

hesitate to say

flounder through

speak evasively

speak indistinctively

murmuration

talk to oneself

bellow

blab

blather

bumble

chaw

chew

clack

coo

Translations

marmonner

bredouiller

murmeln

mompelen

mascullar

murmurar

μουρμουρίζω

nuscheln

barbotar

borbottare

marmotter

farfugliare

mummeln

biascicare

mormorare

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈmʌmbəl/

Etymology

Cognate with German: mümmeln

Cognate with Middle Dutch: mommelen

Cognate with Dutch: mompelen

In summary

From Middle English momelen, a frequentative of mum (sense 3) (“silent”). Compare German mümmeln, Middle Dutch mommelen and Dutch mompelen. Perhaps related to Norwegian Nynorsk mumpa (“to gum, to chew without teeth”).