What does pattered mean?
Pattered is the past tense and past participle of patter, a verb describing quick, light movement or sound. It is especially familiar from descriptions of rain striking a roof or window and of feet moving rapidly across a floor. In these contexts, pattered evokes a repeated rhythm made of small sounds rather than heavy blows. The verb can also describe speech delivered rapidly, though this sense is less common and may suggest comic storytelling, jargon, or nervous chatter. Pattered is normally intransitive: rain, fingers, feet, or a speaker can be its subject. Although normally a straightforward verb, it is effective in writing because it combines movement and sound, allowing a brief phrase to make a whole scene audible.
verb (past tense and past participle)Pattered is the past tense and past participle of patter. It means to speak rapidly, to make a succession of quick, light taps or sounds, or to move with quick, light steps.
- Made a succession of quick, light taps or similar sounds.
- Moved with quick, light steps, usually making a rapid tapping sound.
- Spoke rapidly, especially in a fluent, jargon-like or unconnected way.
"Rain pattered against the skylight, quick and steady as fingertips on a desk."
"Rain pattered against the skylight, quick and steady as fingertips on a desk."
"The child pattered down the hallway, her slippers scuffing softly."
"The comedian pattered through the jargon of an imaginary technical lecture."
Patter can chatter like a comic, patter like rain, or patter like quick feet—one verb with three different rhythms.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of pattered
Pattered comes from patter. In the standard historical account, patter developed through Middle English from Old French pater, a shortened form of the Pater Noster, ultimately from Latin pater, meaning “father.” It originally referred to rapid recitation, and the verb’s senses of rapid speech and quick tapping developed in early modern English. The tapping sense may also reflect an imitative association with the light sound of a pat.
Related word forms
How pattered is actually used
The sound-and-footsteps senses are the most common in contemporary use. The rapid-speech sense is less common and often suggests fluent, comic, or jargon-laden speech.
Easily confused with pattered
Patted means gently struck or touched, often once, whereas pattered means struck or moved in a repeated, rapid, light rhythm.