Standard Lemma guide

chitter

noun · verb · 4 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.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈtʃɪtə/
  • /ˈt͡ʃɪtɚ/ ga
  • rhymes with -ɪtə(ɹ)
  • CMU ARPABET: CH IH1 T ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Alternative form of chitterling.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of, alternative, dialectal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To make a series of high-pitched sounds; to twitter, chirp or chatter.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • It was a beautifully sunny day and beetles could be heard chittering loudly in the rose garden by the side of the path made out of antique bricks.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To shiver or chatter with cold.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Scotland, obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

make high-pitched sounds, as of birds

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: twitter

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: peep, cheep, chirp, chirrup

History

Etymology

From Middle English chiteren, chitren, cheteren. Ultimately onomatopoeic; compare didder and teeter as well as German zittern.