What does blatherer mean?
A blatherer is a person who talks at length in a foolish, rambling, or nonsensical manner, producing a stream of words that conveys little or nothing of substance. The noun derives from the verb 'to blather,' meaning to talk foolishly or endlessly, which entered English from Old Norse. A blatherer is typically portrayed as verbose, tedious, or self-important — someone who dominates conversations, meetings, or broadcasts without ever reaching a point. The word carries a clearly negative, dismissive connotation and is used informally rather than in formal writing. Related terms such as 'blather,' 'blathering,' and the Scottish-influenced 'blatherskite' all point to the same idea: talk that is long-winded and essentially empty. To call someone a blatherer is to suggest not malice but a kind of verbal excess — an inability to stop talking or to say anything worth hearing. It remains useful today for describing pompous public speakers, tedious colleagues, or anyone whose eloquence far exceeds their content.
nounA person who talks at length in a foolish, rambling, or nonsensical way without saying anything of substance.
- A person who talks foolishly or at excessive length without conveying anything meaningful.
"The meeting dragged on for two hours because one blatherer after another refused to get to the point."
"Every office has one blatherer who can turn a thirty-second update into a twenty-minute monologue."
"The interviewer finally cut off the blatherer politely and moved on to the next question."
Regular plural formation.
"The panel was dominated by blatherers who never once addressed the question actually asked."
A blatherer can fill an hour with words and leave you with nothing — the word comes from an Old Norse verb that literally meant to babble like someone out of their wits.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of blatherer
The noun 'blatherer' derives from the verb 'blather,' which English borrowed from Old Norse 'blaðra,' meaning to speak foolishly or indistinctly. The Norse root is thought to be related to words denoting swelling or bubbling up, connecting it etymologically to 'bladder.' The verb was established in English by the early modern period, particularly in Scottish usage, and the agent noun 'blatherer' naturally followed to denote a person given to such talk.
Related word forms
How blatherer is actually used
Informal and mildly derogatory; used chiefly to criticize someone's speech as empty, verbose, or self-important.
Easily confused with blatherer
'Blithering' describes the act or quality of senseless talking (as in 'a blithering idiot'), while a 'blatherer' is the person doing the talking.