jabber
UK: ˈdʒæbə | US: ˈdʒæbər
vi. to talk rapidly, indistinctly, or unintelligibly
vt. to utter rapidly or indistinctly
n. rapid, excited, and often meaningless speech
The word "jabber" likely originated as an onomatopoeic imitation of rapid, repetitive speech or chatter, blending the sense of "jab" (a quick, sharp action) with the frequentative suffix "-er," suggesting continuous or repeated motion. While "jab" traces back to Middle English (meaning to poke or thrust), the combined form "jabber" emerged in the late 15th century to mimic the sound of hurried, incoherent talk. Its evolution reflects a playful linguistic tendency to create expressive verbs from physical actions.
The children jabbered excitedly about their holiday plans.
He jabbered into the phone, making it hard to follow his story.
Stop jabbering and focus on the task!
The parrot jabbered nonsense phrases all morning.
Her nervous jabber revealed her anxiety about the interview.