Standard Lemma guide

chit-chat

noun · verb · 5 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

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1

noun

Meaning 1

Light conversation; casual talk, usually about trivial matters.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Gossip.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To engage in small talk, to discuss unimportant matters.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: colloquial, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

light informal conversation for social occasions

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: chitchat, chit chat, small talk, gab, gabfest, gossip, tittle-tattle, chin wag, chin-wag, chin wagging, chin-wagging, causerie

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: chat, confab, confabulation, schmooze, schmoose

5

verb

Meaning 5

talk socially without exchanging too much information

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the men were sitting in the cafe and shooting the breeze

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: chew the fat, shoot the breeze, chat, confabulate, confab, chitchat, chatter, chaffer, natter, gossip, jaw, claver, visit

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: converse, discourse

Narrower terms: shmooze, shmoose, schmooze, schmoose, jawbone

History

Etymology

Reduplication of chat. Compare tittle-tattle, flim-flam, pitter-patter, etc.

Across languages

Translations

62 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: при́казка (príkazka) — gossip
  • Bulgarian: лаф (laf) — gossip
  • Czech: tlachání — gossip
  • Danish: sludder — gossip
  • Dutch: roddel — gossip
  • Finnish: jutustelu — gossip
  • Finnish: rupattelu — gossip
  • French: blabla — gossip
  • French: parlotte — gossip
  • French: bavardage — gossip
  • French: causette — gossip
  • Galician: parola — gossip
  • Galician: rexouba — gossip
  • Hungarian: csevegés — gossip
  • Hungarian: pletykálás — gossip
  • Icelandic: rabb — gossip
  • Icelandic: mas — gossip
  • Irish: giob geab — gossip
  • Italian: pettegolezzo — gossip
  • Italian: chiacchiera — gossip
  • Italian: diceria — gossip
  • Italian: ciarla — gossip
  • Italian: maldicenza — gossip
  • Ladino: charlina — gossip
  • Norwegian: babbel — gossip
  • Polish: gadka szmatka — gossip
  • Polish: plotka — gossip
  • Russian: болтовня́ (boltovnjá) — gossip
  • Scottish Gaelic: goileam — gossip
  • Scottish Gaelic: seanchas — gossip
  • Spanish: cotilleo — gossip
  • Spanish: cháchara — gossip
  • Spanish: palique — gossip
  • Spanish: teque — gossip
  • Spanish: conversao — gossip
  • Bulgarian: прика́звам (prikázvam) — to engage in small talk
  • Bulgarian: прика́жа (prikáža) — to engage in small talk
  • Bulgarian: ла́фя (láfja) — to engage in small talk
  • Czech: tlachat — to engage in small talk
  • Czech: bavit se — to engage in small talk
  • Czech: kecat — to engage in small talk
  • Danish: småsnakke — to engage in small talk
  • Danish: sludre — to engage in small talk
  • Dutch: over koetjes en kalfjes praten — to engage in small talk
  • Finnish: jutustella — to engage in small talk
  • Finnish: rupatella — to engage in small talk
  • French: blablater — to engage in small talk
  • French: parler de la pluie et du beau temps — to engage in small talk
  • French: parler de tout et de rien — to engage in small talk
  • French: tailler une bavette — to engage in small talk
  • Galician: parolar — to engage in small talk
  • German: über Gott und die Welt reden — to engage in small talk
  • Hungarian: cseveg — to engage in small talk
  • Hungarian: pletykál — to engage in small talk
  • Polish: gawędzić — to engage in small talk
  • Polish: plotkować — to engage in small talk
  • Portuguese: tagarelar — to engage in small talk
  • Russian: болта́ть (boltátʹ) — to engage in small talk
  • Russian: лясы точить (ljasy točitʹ) — to engage in small talk
  • Spanish: cotillear — to engage in small talk
  • Spanish: charlotear — to engage in small talk
  • Swedish: småprata — to engage in small talk