gibber

[ jib-er, gib- ]

verb (used without object)

1. to speak inarticulately or meaninglessly.
2. to speak foolishly; chatter.

noun

1. gibbering utterance.

gibber

¹

/ ˈɡɪbə /

noun

1. a stone or boulder
2. modifier of or relating to a dry flat area of land covered with wind-polished stones

   gibber plains

gibber

²

/ ˈdʒɪbə /

verb

1. to utter rapidly and unintelligibly; prattle
2. intr (of monkeys and related animals) to make characteristic chattering sounds

noun

1. a less common word for gibberish

Word History and Origins

Origin of gibber¹

1595–1605; origin uncertain; perhaps frequentative of gib (obsolete) to caterwaul ( gib ² ); sense and pronunciation influenced by association with jabber

Word History and Origins

Origin of gibber¹

C19: from a native Australian language

Origin of gibber²

C17: of imitative origin

Example Sentences

The host, who was 18 when she joined the BBC kids' TV show, said she was "pushed to the limit" by behaviour that left her a "shaking, gibbering wreck."

From BBC

Henry—imagining, perhaps, some trembling Kassandra gibbering prophecies to a chorus of policemen—was far more concerned about the psychic.

From Literature

While I was a gibbering mess, Ellen was stunned into a weird, calm silence.

From BBC

Won’t I look upon the smoldering ashes of that closet and wish that I’d organized it, or at least enjoyed it, rather than merely gibbering in it?

From Washington Post

Another time, I had to rescue the late, great NME writer Steven Wells from the site, as he started gibbering like a hallucinating Vietnam war veteran.

From The Guardian