Standard Lemma guide

babble

noun · verb · 14 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈbæb.(ə)l/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -æbəl
  • CMU ARPABET: B AE1 B AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Idle talk; senseless prattle.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: gabble, twaddle

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Inarticulate speech; constant or confused murmur.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A sound like that of water gently flowing around obstructions.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To utter words indistinctly or unintelligibly; to utter inarticulate sounds

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • The men were babbling, so we couldn't make sense of anything.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To talk incoherently; to utter meaningless words.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To talk too much; to chatter; to prattle.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • She babbled on for hours about the importance of some new gadget.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To make a continuous murmuring noise, like shallow water running over stones.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • Hounds are said to babble, or to be babbling, when they are too noisy after having found a good scent.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To utter in an indistinct or incoherent way; to repeat words or sounds in a childish way without understanding.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To reveal; to give away (a secret).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

gibberish resembling the sounds of a baby

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: babbling, lallation

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: gibberish, gibber

11

verb

Meaning 11

divulge confidential information or secrets

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Be careful--his secretary talks

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: spill the beans, let the cat out of the bag, talk, tattle, blab, peach, sing, babble out, blab out

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: unwrap, disclose, let on, bring out, reveal, discover, expose, divulge, break, give away, let out

12

verb

Meaning 12

to talk foolishly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The two women babbled and crooned at the baby

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: blather, smatter, blether, blither

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: chatter, piffle, palaver, prate, tittle-tattle, twaddle, clack, maunder, prattle, blab, gibber, tattle, blabber, gabble

13

verb

Meaning 13

utter meaningless sounds, like a baby, or utter in an incoherent way

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The old man is only babbling--don't pay attention

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: talk, speak, utter, mouth, verbalize, verbalise

14

verb

Meaning 14

flow in an irregular current with a bubbling noise

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • babbling brooks

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ripple, guggle, burble, bubble, gurgle

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: sound, go

History

Etymology

From Middle English babelen, from Old English *bæblian, also wæflian (“to talk foolishly”), from Proto-West Germanic *bablōn, *wablōn, variants of *babalōn, from Proto-Germanic *babalōną (“to chatter”), from Proto-Indo-European *bha-bha-, perhaps a reduplication of Proto-Indo-European *bheh2- (“to say”), or a variant of Proto-Indo-European *baba- (“to talk vaguely, mumble”), or a merger of the two, possibly ultimately onomatopoeic/mimicry of infantile sounds (compare babe, baby). Cognate with Saterland Frisian babbelje (“to babble”), West Frisian babbelje (“to babble”), Dutch babbelen (“to babble, chat”), German Low German babbeln (“to babble”), German babbeln (“to babble”), Danish bable, bavle (“to babble”), Swedish babbla (“to babble”), Icelandic babla (“to babble”). Unrelated to Babel.

Across languages

Translations

240 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Asturian: bilordiu — idle talk
  • Bulgarian: бърборене (bǎrborene) — idle talk
  • Chinese Mandarin: 廢話 /废话 (fèihuà) — idle talk
  • Chinese Mandarin: 閑話 /闲话 (xiánhuà) — idle talk
  • Danish: pladder — idle talk
  • Danish: bavl — idle talk
  • Dutch: prietpraat — idle talk
  • Finnish: pulina — idle talk
  • Finnish: lörpöttely — idle talk
  • Finnish: höpötys — idle talk
  • French: babillage — idle talk
  • French: bavardage — idle talk
  • Georgian: ტიტინი (ṭiṭini) — idle talk
  • Georgian: ტიკტიკი (ṭiḳṭiḳi) — idle talk
  • Georgian: ბუტბუტი (buṭbuṭi) — idle talk
  • Georgian: ლუღლუღი (luɣluɣi) — idle talk
  • Georgian: ყბედობა (q̇bedoba) — idle talk
  • Georgian: ენის ტარტარი (enis ṭarṭari) — idle talk
  • German: Geplapper — idle talk
  • Icelandic: babl — idle talk
  • Icelandic: óskýrt tal — idle talk
  • Icelandic: heimskulegt þvaður — idle talk
  • Icelandic: mas — idle talk
  • Italian: ciancia — idle talk
  • Persian: دراییدن (darâyidan) — idle talk
  • Persian: یاوه گفتن (yâve goftan) — idle talk
  • Polish: bełkot — idle talk
  • Polish: paplanie — idle talk
  • Portuguese: balbuciação — idle talk
  • Portuguese: papo — idle talk
  • Russian: болтовня́ (boltovnjá) — idle talk
  • Russian: трёп (trjop) — idle talk
  • Spanish: charla — idle talk
  • Spanish: parloteo — idle talk
  • Swedish: babbel — idle talk
  • Swedish: pladder — idle talk
  • Yiddish: פּלוידערײַ (ployderay) — idle talk
  • Bulgarian: бръщолевене (brǎštolevene) — inarticulate speech
  • Danish: mumlen — inarticulate speech
  • Danish: pludren — inarticulate speech
  • Dutch: brabbelen — inarticulate speech
  • Dutch: murmelen — inarticulate speech
  • Finnish: pulina — inarticulate speech
  • French: jargon — inarticulate speech
  • French: charabia — inarticulate speech
  • French: galimatias — inarticulate speech
  • Georgian: ლუღლუღი (luɣluɣi) — inarticulate speech
  • Georgian: ბუტბუტი (buṭbuṭi) — inarticulate speech
  • German: Brabbeln — inarticulate speech
  • German: Murmeln — inarticulate speech
  • Icelandic: babl — inarticulate speech
  • Icelandic: óskýrt tal — inarticulate speech
  • Icelandic: heimskulegt þvaður — inarticulate speech
  • Icelandic: mas — inarticulate speech
  • Italian: balbettio — inarticulate speech
  • Persian: نارسا گویی (nârasâ guyi) — inarticulate speech
  • Polish: gwar — inarticulate speech
  • Polish: gaworzenie — inarticulate speech
  • Portuguese: balbuciação — inarticulate speech
  • Russian: бормота́ние (bormotánije) — inarticulate speech
  • Russian: ле́пет (lépet) — inarticulate speech
  • Spanish: jerigonza — inarticulate speech
  • Spanish: balbuceo — inarticulate speech
  • Swedish: babbel — inarticulate speech
  • Bulgarian: ромон (romon) — the sound of flowing water
  • Bulgarian: ромолене (romolene) — the sound of flowing water
  • Danish: pludren — the sound of flowing water
  • Finnish: solina — the sound of flowing water
  • French: babil — the sound of flowing water
  • French: murmure — the sound of flowing water
  • Hungarian: csobogás — the sound of flowing water
  • Icelandic: niður — the sound of flowing water
  • Icelandic: vatnsniður — the sound of flowing water
  • Italian: gorgoglio — the sound of flowing water
  • Māori: hīwawā — the sound of flowing water
  • Polish: szmer — the sound of flowing water
  • Portuguese: murmúrio — the sound of flowing water
  • Russian: журча́ние (žurčánije) — the sound of flowing water
  • Spanish: gorjeo — the sound of flowing water
  • Vietnamese: lao xao — the sound of flowing water
  • Asturian: afalucar — to utter words indistinctly
  • Bulgarian: бръщолевя (brǎštolevja) — to utter words indistinctly
  • Czech: žvatlat — to utter words indistinctly
  • Czech: brblat — to utter words indistinctly
  • Danish: pludre — to utter words indistinctly
  • Danish: mumle — to utter words indistinctly
  • Dutch: brabbelen — to utter words indistinctly
  • Finnish: jokeltaa — to utter words indistinctly
  • French: marmonner — to utter words indistinctly
  • French: marmotter — to utter words indistinctly
  • French: jargonner — to utter words indistinctly
  • Galician: barballar — to utter words indistinctly
  • German: brabbeln — to utter words indistinctly
  • German: murmeln — to utter words indistinctly
  • Ancient Greek: θρυλέω (thruléō) — to utter words indistinctly
  • Hindi: बकना (baknā) — to utter words indistinctly
  • Icelandic: babla — to utter words indistinctly
  • Icelandic: masa — to utter words indistinctly
  • Icelandic: þvæla — to utter words indistinctly
  • Icelandic: mala — to utter words indistinctly
  • Icelandic: blaðra — to utter words indistinctly
  • Ingrian: bälättää — to utter words indistinctly
  • Italian: blaterare — to utter words indistinctly
  • Korean: 옹알거리다 (ong'algeorida) — to utter words indistinctly
  • Korean: 중얼거리다 (jung'eolgeorida) — to utter words indistinctly
  • Latin: blaterō — to utter words indistinctly
  • Latvian: murmināt — to utter words indistinctly
  • Māori: nanunanu — to utter words indistinctly
  • Māori: whakahāhā — to utter words indistinctly
  • Māori: kohe — to utter words indistinctly
  • Norwegian: bable — to utter words indistinctly
  • Polish: gaworzyć — to utter words indistinctly
  • Portuguese: balbuciar — to utter words indistinctly
  • Russian: бормота́ть (bormotátʹ) — to utter words indistinctly
  • Russian: лепета́ть (lepetátʹ) — to utter words indistinctly
  • Sicilian: ciarmulijari — to utter words indistinctly
  • Slovak: brblať — to utter words indistinctly
  • Spanish: mascullar — to utter words indistinctly
  • Spanish: farfullar — to utter words indistinctly
  • Ukrainian: базі́кати (bazíkaty) — to utter words indistinctly
  • Ukrainian: галама́гати (halamáhaty) — to utter words indistinctly
  • Vietnamese: bi bô — to utter words indistinctly
  • Vietnamese: bập bẹ — to utter words indistinctly
  • Danish: vrøvle — to talk incoherently
  • Danish: bavle — to talk incoherently
  • Finnish: höpöttää — to talk incoherently
  • Galician: barballar — to talk incoherently
  • Ancient Greek: φλυαρέω (phluaréō) — to talk incoherently
  • Italian: blaterare — to talk incoherently
  • Latin: blaterō — to talk incoherently
  • Latvian: vāvuļot — to talk incoherently
  • Lithuanian: babaliuoti — to talk incoherently
  • Māori: nanunanu — to talk incoherently
  • Māori: whakahāhā — to talk incoherently
  • Ukrainian: бурмоті́ти (burmotíty) — to talk incoherently
  • Ukrainian: бурмота́ти (burmotáty) — to talk incoherently
  • Ukrainian: буркота́ти (burkotáty) — to talk incoherently
  • Ukrainian: буркоті́ти (burkotíty) — to talk incoherently
  • Asturian: bilordiar — to talk too much
  • Azerbaijani: çərənləmək — to talk too much
  • Bulgarian: бърборя (bǎrborja) — to talk too much
  • Danish: sludre — to talk too much
  • Danish: plapre — to talk too much
  • Danish: vrøvle — to talk too much
  • Danish: ævle — to talk too much
  • Dutch: kletsen — to talk too much
  • Dutch: babbelen — to talk too much
  • Finnish: pulista — to talk too much
  • Finnish: lörpötellä — to talk too much
  • French: bavarder — to talk too much
  • French: papoter — to talk too much
  • French: caqueter — to talk too much
  • French: jaboter — to talk too much
  • French: jacasser — to talk too much
  • Galician: barballar — to talk too much
  • Galician: esbardallar — to talk too much
  • Galician: laretar — to talk too much
  • Galician: parolar — to talk too much
  • German: schwätzen — to talk too much
  • German: plappern — to talk too much
  • German: babbeln — to talk too much
  • Greek: κελαηδώ (kelaïdó) — to talk too much
  • Ancient Greek: θρυλέω (thruléō) — to talk too much
  • Ancient Greek: λαλέω (laléō) — to talk too much
  • Gujarati: બબડવું (babaḍvũ) — to talk too much
  • Icelandic: babla — to talk too much
  • Icelandic: masa — to talk too much
  • Icelandic: þvæla — to talk too much
  • Icelandic: vera með heimskuhjal — to talk too much
  • Icelandic: tala of mikið — to talk too much
  • Icelandic: mala — to talk too much
  • Icelandic: blaðra — to talk too much
  • Icelandic: kjafta frá — to talk too much
  • Icelandic: fleipra út úr sér — to talk too much
  • Ingrian: törissä — to talk too much
  • Irish: bí ag cabaireacht — to talk too much
  • Italian: chiacchierare — to talk too much
  • Italian: ciarlare — to talk too much
  • Korean: 재잘거리다 (jaejalgeorida) — to talk too much
  • Latvian: pļāpāt — to talk too much
  • Māori: kapekapetau — to talk too much
  • Māori: kapetau — to talk too much
  • Norwegian: bable — to talk too much
  • Norwegian: plapre — to talk too much
  • Polish: paplać — to talk too much
  • Portuguese: balbuciar — to talk too much
  • Russian: болта́ть (boltátʹ) — to talk too much
  • Russian: трепа́ться (trepátʹsja) — to talk too much
  • Spanish: charlar — to talk too much
  • Spanish: charlatanear — to talk too much
  • Spanish: chacharear — to talk too much
  • Spanish: charlotear — to talk too much
  • Spanish: parlotear — to talk too much
  • Swedish: babbla — to talk too much
  • Swedish: pladdra — to talk too much
  • Ukrainian: базі́кати (bazíkaty) — to talk too much
  • Vietnamese: lảm nhảm — to talk too much
  • Bulgarian: ромоля (romolja) — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Danish: mumle — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Dutch: kabbelen — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Esperanto: babiladi — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Finnish: solista — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • French: babiller — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • French: murmurer — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • French: susurrer — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • German: plätschern — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • German: gurgeln — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Hungarian: csobog — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Icelandic: niða — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Icelandic: hjala — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Ingrian: šolissa — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Italian: cicalare — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Korean: 옹알거리다 (ong'algeorida) — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Korean: 중얼거리다 (jung'eolgeorida) — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Latvian: murmulēt — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Latvian: murmuļot — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Latvian: murmināt — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Polish: szemrać — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Portuguese: murmurar — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Russian: журча́ть (žurčátʹ) — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Sicilian: ciarmulijari — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Sicilian: smurmurijari — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Spanish: murmurar — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Spanish: susurrar — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Swedish: porla — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Ukrainian: дзюрча́ти (dzjurčáty) — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Ukrainian: дзюркота́ти (dzjurkotáty) — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Ukrainian: дзюркоті́ти (dzjurkotíty) — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Ukrainian: журча́ти (žurčáty) — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Vietnamese: rì rào — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Vietnamese: róc rách — to make a continuous murmuring noise
  • Danish: vrøvle — to utter in an indistinct or incoherent way
  • Finnish: höpöttää — to utter in an indistinct or incoherent way
  • Finnish: höpistä — to utter in an indistinct or incoherent way
  • Māori: whakahāhā — to utter in an indistinct or incoherent way
  • Danish: røbe — to disclose by too free talk
  • Finnish: laverrella — to disclose by too free talk
  • Finnish: lörpötellä — to disclose by too free talk
  • Latvian: izpļāpāties — to disclose by too free talk
  • Vietnamese: tiết lộ — to disclose by too free talk