babble
UK: ˈbæb.əl | US: ˈbæb.əl
vi. to talk quickly and continuously in a foolish or meaningless way
vt. to utter indistinctly or incoherently
n. confused or meaningless speech or sounds
babble = bab<reduplicative sound> + le<frequentative verb suffix>
- bab <reduplicative sound>: Imitative of childish or repetitive speech, echoing the sound "ba-ba."
- le <frequentative verb suffix>: A suffix in English indicating repetitive or ongoing action (e.g., "dazzle," "sparkle").
Etymology Origin:
"Babble" originates from Middle English bablen, likely derived from the reduplicative sound "ba-ba," mimicking the incoherent speech of infants or chatter. The suffix -le reinforces the repetitive nature of the action. The word reflects a universal linguistic tendency to use reduplication for sounds associated with trivial or nonsensical talk (compare "blabber," "gabble").
The toddlers babbled happily while playing with their toys.
He was so nervous that he began to babble incoherently during the interview.
The stream babbled softly as it flowed over the rocks.
Ignore her—she’s just babbling nonsense again.
The radio station was just a babble of static and distant voices.