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mutter

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mutter¹

  • /ˈmʌtə/ UK
  • /ˈmʌtɚ/ Canada, US
  • [ˈmʌɾɚ] Canada, US
  • /ˈmɐtə/ Australia, New Zealand

Rhymes with -ʌtə(ɹ)

Where it comes from

From Middle English muteren, moteren, of imitative origin.

Compare Low German mustern, musseln (“to whisper”), German muttern (“to mutter; whisper”), Old Norse muðla (“to murmur”). Compare also Latin muttīre, mutīre.

noun mutters

  1. A repressed or obscure utterance; an instance of muttering. The prisoners were docile, and accepted their lot with barely a mutter.

verb mutters · muttering · muttered

  1. intransitive, transitive To utter words, especially complaints or angry expressions, indistinctly or with a low voice and lips partly closed; to say under one's breath. You could hear the students mutter as they were served sodden spaghetti, yet again, in the cafeteria.

    Similar: growl, grumble, mumble

  2. To speak softly and incoherently, or with imperfect articulations. The asylum inmate muttered some doggerel about chains and pains to himself, over and over.

    Similar: babble, mumble, murmur, ramble, stutter

  3. To make a sound with a low, rumbling noise. April could hear the delivery van's engine muttering in the driveway.

    Similar: growl, putter, rumble

Similar: fumfer, mutter, mouth

mutter²

  • /ˈmʌtə/ UK
  • /ˈmʌtɚ/ Canada, US
  • [ˈmʌɾɚ] Canada, US
  • /ˈmɐtə/ Australia, New Zealand

Rhymes with -ʌtə(ɹ)

noun matar

  1. Peas.

Mutter³

proper noun

  1. A surname.

Thesaurus

verb

Similar: fumfer, mutter, mouth

Translations

Every language

noun instance of muttering

Portuguêsmurmúrio
Françaismarmonnement, marmottement
DeutschBrummen, Murmeln, Murren, Nuscheln
Italianomormorio
Русскийбормота́ние bormotánije
العربيةغَمْغَمَة ḡamḡama, تَمْتَمة tamtama
עבריתמלמול milmúl

verb speak under one's breath

Españolmurmurar
한국어중얼거리다 jung'eolgeorida
日本語呟く tsubuyaku, 囁く sasayaku
中文咕噥 /咕哝 gūnong
हिन्दीबुदबुदाना budbudānā, बड़बड़ाना baṛabṛānā
Portuguêsresmungar
Françaisgrommeler, marmonner, marmotter
Deutschmurmeln
Ελληνικάμουρμουρίζω mourmourízo
Românăbombăni, mormăi
Русскийбормота́ть bormotátʹ, пробормота́ть probormotátʹ
Tiếng Việtlẩm bẩm
العربيةتَمْتَمَ tamtama, هَمْهَمَ hamhama, غَمْغَمَ ḡamḡama
עבריתמִלְמֵל milmél

verb speak incoherently

Españolbalbucear, rozarse
한국어중얼거리다 jung'eolgeorida
日本語呟く tsubuyaku, 囁く sasayaku
Portuguêsmurmurar
Françaismarmonner, marmotter
Deutschmurmeln
Românăboscorodi
Русскийбормота́ть bormotátʹ, пробормота́ть probormotátʹ, бурча́ть burčátʹ, бубни́ть bubnítʹ
العربيةتَمْتَمَ tamtama, هَمْهَمَ hamhama
עבריתמִלְמֵל milmél

verb make a low sound

Françaisgrogner, feuler, râler
Românămormăi, mârâi

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Cite this
MLA

"mutter." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/mutter. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

mutter. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/mutter

Chicago

"mutter." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/mutter.

BibTeX
@misc{mutter_2026,
  title = {mutter},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/mutter},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}