jabber

American  

[jab-er] / ˈdʒæb ər /

verb (used with or without object)

1. to talk or utter rapidly, indistinctly, incoherently, or nonsensically; chatter.

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noun

1. rapid, indistinct, or nonsensical talk; gibberish.

jabber British  

/ ˈdʒæbə /

verb

1. to speak or say rapidly, incoherently, and without making sense; chatter

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noun

1. such talk

Other Word Forms

• jabberer noun
• jabberingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of jabber

1490–1500; apparently imitative; cf. gibber, gab ¹

Explanation

When someone starts to jabber, they start talking on and on about this or that, or that or this, in an excited, sometimes incoherent way. Jabber is a close cousin to blabber. When someone jabbers, sometimes their words seem to fly out of their mouths like quick punches (jabs!) from a boxer. Some examples of jabber? You know, like when someone has a hobby that you don’t really care about or understand but they won’t quit talking about it? Yeah, they jabber. Or your best friend is relating, without end, his excitement about the coming tiddlywinks championship and you comprehend neither the game nor its importance? That friend jabbers, too.

Example Sentences

Marine Le Pen said the press conference was "yet another interminable jabber".

From BBC • Jan. 17, 2024

Jacobs-Jenkins renders him as a wry, friendly figure who occasionally takes over the bodies of the other characters to explain what is happening beneath their jabber.

From New York Times • Jun. 5, 2023

This accursed Olympiad has brought a lot—a lot—of jabber about diversity and inclusion and athlete safety and athlete centeredness.

From Slate • Aug. 1, 2021

If there were, the loudest mouth and wittiest jabber would have thought of it by now.

From Washington Post • May 4, 2020

I did not want to hear her jabber on about Autumn.

From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter