babble

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To talk quickly in a confused or foolish way that is hard to follow.

   Please stop babbling and tell me exactly what happened.

2. 2
   verb

   To make a gentle, continuous bubbling sound, like a small stream.

   A clear brook babbled pleasantly over the stones.

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 bab…

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