mumble

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To speak quietly and unclearly so people cannot understand you.

   Please don't mumble so I can hear what you are saying.

2. 2
   noun

   A quiet, unclear way of speaking.

   All I could hear was a mumble from the next room.

From Middle English momelen, a frequentative of mum (sense 3) (“silent”). Compare German mümmeln, Middle Dutch mommelen and Dutch mompelen. Perhaps related to Norwegian Nynorsk mumpa (“to gum, to chew without teeth”).

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