What does blatter mean?
Blatter is a rare English verb meaning to talk rapidly, loudly, and indiscreetly — to prattle or babble on without much sense or restraint. It can also serve as a noun describing the resulting stream of empty, voluble talk. The word entered English from the Latin blaterare, 'to babble,' making it a cousin of blabber, and it sits alongside better-known terms like chatter, gabble, and blather in the family of words for noisy speech. Never common and now largely archaic, blatter survives mainly in historical dictionaries and occasional literary usage. Its connotation is distinctly unflattering: to accuse someone of blattering is to suggest their words are loud, excessive, and lacking in substance. Though you are unlikely to meet it in modern conversation, it remains a colorful relic for anyone interested in the rich vocabulary English has developed for talking too much.
To talk rapidly, loudly, and indiscreetly; to prate or babble.
"He blattered on about his business schemes until the whole pub had stopped listening."
Now rare or archaic.
Voluble, empty, or indiscreet talk; the noise made by someone who blatters.
"I could hear nothing over the constant blatter coming from the next table."
Even rarer than the verbal sense.
Applies only when blatter is used as a noun denoting streams of empty talk; the plural is very rarely encountered.
"The meeting dissolved into the usual blatters of self-congratulation."
Before there was 'blathering', there was 'blattering' — an English verb borrowed straight from Latin blaterare, the same root that gives us 'blabber.'
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of blatter
Blatter derives from the Latin blaterare, meaning to babble or talk foolishly, which also underlies the related English form blabber. It was adopted into English in the early modern period as both a verb and a noun denoting voluble, indiscreet speech. Despite its classical pedigree, the word never achieved wide currency and has since fallen into obscurity, surviving chiefly in comprehensive historical dictionaries.
Related word forms
How blatter is actually used
A rare and now largely archaic word, encountered chiefly in older dictionaries and literary texts. It carries a mildly derogatory connotation of noisy, senseless speech.
Easily confused with blatter
Blather means to talk long-winded nonsense and derives from Old Norse blathra, whereas blatter comes from the Latin blaterare; the two words sound alike but have separate origins and spellings.