What does blather mean?
Blather refers to talk that is long-winded, foolish, or essentially meaningless — words that flow freely but carry little substance. It functions as both a noun ('his speech was mostly blather') and a verb ('he blathered on for hours'), typically in informal contexts where the speaker wants to convey impatience or contempt for empty chatter. The word carries a distinctly dismissive connotation: to call something blather is not merely to call it casual conversation but to suggest it is self-indulgent and pointless. It derives from Old Norse blathra, meaning to chatter or talk foolishly, giving it deep roots in English alongside related Scandinavian borrowings. A useful everyday word, it appears often in criticism of politicians, pundits, and anyone prone to filling silence with hot air. Its Scottish variant, blether, is equally established in northern Britain.
Foolish, rambling, or nonsensical talk.
"His explanation was mostly blather designed to fill the meeting."
Often used with modifiers like 'empty' or 'pure' to intensify the dismissiveness.
To talk at length in a foolish or senseless way.
"She blathered on about her plans without ever committing to anything."
Commonly followed by 'on' or 'on about', as in 'blather on about politics'.
Rarely pluralized in practice; the noun blather is usually used as an uncountable mass noun referring to talk in general.
"The transcript was page after page of blathers."
Blather comes straight from Old Norse 'blathra' — meaning the Vikings were complaining about people talking nonsense over a thousand years ago.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of blather
Blather entered English from Old Norse blathra, meaning to chatter or talk foolishly, and has been part of the language since at least the early modern period. It is related to the Scots and Northern English variant blether, which remains common in those regions today. Both forms trace back to the same Germanic root of noisy, senseless talk.
Related word forms
How blather is actually used
Blather is informal and mildly dismissive or derogatory, carrying a stronger note of contempt than neutral words like 'chat'. It works both as a noun ('that's just blather') and as a verb, often in the pattern 'blather on about something'. The spelling 'blether' is common in Scotland and northern England.
Easily confused with blather
Blether is a chiefly Scottish and Northern English variant of blather with the same meaning; they are regional forms of one word rather than different words.