prattle Meaning & Definition
What Does Prattle Mean?
Prattle is used as a verb meaning prate. It can also mean to utter or make meaningless sounds suggestive of the chatter of children. As a noun, it means trifling or empty talk.
Prattle at a Glance
| Part of speech | verb, noun |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈpra-tᵊl/ |
| Syllables | 2 |
| Synonyms | maunder, palaver and chatter |
| Antonyms | articulate, enunciate and pronounce |
| Verb forms | prattles, prattling, prattled |
Prattle Definition (Verb)
- prate
They prattled on into the night about the old days.
- to utter or make meaningless sounds suggestive of the chatter of children : babble
- to say in an unaffected or childish manner
Prattle as a Noun
- trifling or empty talk
- a sound that is meaningless, repetitive, and suggestive of the chatter of children
Synonyms of Prattle
Antonyms of Prattle
Prattle in a Sentence
They prattled on into the night about the old days.
parents often claim to understand the prattle of their infant offspring
spent an hour on the phone prattling on about nothing in particular
stop prattling and calmly tell us the news
Word Forms & Grammar
prat·tled
prat·tling
prat·tler noun
prat·tling·ly adverb
prattle
prattled
prattler
prattlers
prattles
prattling
prattlingly
prattle (third-person singular simple present prattles, present participle prattling, simple past and past participle prattled)
prattle (uncountable)
Words That Rhyme With Prattle
Origin of Prattle
Origin 1: Low German pratelen; akin to Middle Dutch praten to prate
Origin 2: From prate + -le (early modern English frequentative suffix). Compare Dutch pruttelen and Dutch preutelen (“to mutter”).
First Known Use
1532i
1555
How to Pronounce Prattle
Prattle is pronounced /ˈpra-tᵊl/ and has 2 syllables, with the main stress on the first syllable (pra).
Common Questions About Prattle
Is prattle a verb or a noun?
Prattle is mainly used as a verb, but it can also be used as a noun.
What is another word for prattle?
Words with a similar meaning to prattle include maunder, palaver and chatter. See the full list of prattle synonyms and antonyms.
What is the opposite of prattle?
The opposite of prattle can be expressed with words like articulate, enunciate and pronounce.
What is the past tense of prattle?
The past tense of prattle is prattled. The present participle is prattling.