English

Noun

patter ‎(plural patters)

1. The soft sound of feet walking on a hard surface.

   I could hear the patter of mice running about in the dark.

   • 1907, Harold Bindloss, chapter 7, in The Dust of Conflict:

     The patter of feet, and clatter of strap and swivel, seemed to swell into a bewildering din, but they were almost upon the fielato offices, where the carretera entered the town, before a rifle flashed.

Translations

Derived terms

• pitter-patter

Verb

patter ‎(third-person singular simple present patters, present participle pattering, simple past and past participle pattered)

1. To make irregularly repeated sounds of low-to-moderate magnitude and lower-than-average pitch.

   The bullets pattered into the log-cabin walls.

   • Thomson

     The stealing shower is scarce to patter heard.

2. To spatter; to sprinkle.
   • J. R. Drake

     Patter the water about the boat.

Translations

Etymology 2

Circa 1400, from paternoster ‎(“the Lord's prayer”),^[1] possibly influenced by imitative sense (above), Latin pater ‎(“father”), from Proto-Indo-European *ph₂tḗr.

Noun attested 1758, originally referring to the cant of thieves and beggers.^[1]

Noun

patter ‎(plural patters)

1. Glib and rapid speech, such as from an auctioneer, or banter during a sports event.
   • 1887, Gilbert and Sullivan, "My Eyes Are Fully Open", Ruddigore

     This particularly rapid, unintelligible patter isn't generally heard, and if it is it doesn't matter.

Translations

Verb

patter ‎(third-person singular simple present patters, present participle pattering, simple past and past participle pattered)

1. To speak in such a way – glibly and rapidly, such as from an auctioneer, or when bantering during a sports event.
   • Mayhew

     I've gone out and pattered to get money.

Translations

Derived terms

• Glasgow patter

Etymology 3

pat +‎ -er ‎(“agent”)

Noun

patter ‎(plural patters)

1. One who pats.

References

1. 1 2 3 “patter” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary (2001).