patter
patter Lexical Profile
patter Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A quick succession of light tapping or patting sounds, such as raindrops falling or small feet running.
"We listened to the gentle patter of rain against the bedroom window."
Glib, rapid, and often rehearsed speech used by a salesperson, magician, or comedian to entertain or persuade an audience.
"The stage magician distracted the crowd with his witty patter while preparing the next illusion."
The specialized jargon, cant, or informal dialect of a particular social or professional group.
"It took the new recruits a few weeks to understand the local police patter."
• verb
To make a rapid succession of light tapping sounds.
"Sleet began to patter against the windshield as we drove north."
To run or walk with quick, light, audible steps.
"The toddler pattered down the hallway in bare feet."
To talk or recite rapidly, glibly, or mechanically without much thought.
"The tour guide pattered through the historical dates at breakneck speed."
• Rhymes for patter
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The word has two distinct origins: the sense of 'light tapping' dates to the early 17th century as a frequentative formation of 'pat', while the sense of 'rapid speech' derives from the late 14th-century 'pater', referring to the rapid recitation of the 'Paternoster' (the Lord's Prayer).