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Definition of natter in English:

natter

Pronunciation /ˈnadər/ /ˈnædər/

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intransitive verb

[no object]informal

  • Talk casually, especially about unimportant matters; chatter.

    • ‘they nattered away for hours’
    • ‘Around her, they chattered, nattered, muttered… and laughed.’
    • ‘Iain's dad and I work together, so no doubt we will be nattering about England's progress at every opportunity.’
    • ‘And the two young ladies kept on nattering on about hair fashion all the time pretending not to see an old man standing close by.’
    • ‘There were seats full of teenagers nattering about boys, homework and clothes.’
    • ‘A 10% increase in reading speed means that you've got 10% more time to spend nattering with your colleagues over coffee.’
    • ‘A bunch of eighteen-year-olds, nattering about parents: ‘They don't understand me.’’
    • ‘So, there I was, trying to work and there she was, nattering on about how it was colder than the time she'd spent in some place in America which I can't remember.’
    • ‘We spent close to 3 hours laughing and nattering away about nothing in particular.’
    • ‘The barman eventually stops nattering to his mates and notices us waiting, but that's the price you pay for being in a real pub, with real regulars, I tell myself.’
    • ‘I like cricket, I like sitting on the boundary with a cold beer, nattering with my friends, half an eye on the game, getting burned because I forgot the sun cream.’
    • ‘But the bus driver's mate jumped on and they started nattering.’
    • ‘Only… these were the same ones you were nattering with last night.’
    • ‘The cabin crew often seem more interested in nattering among themselves than in being attentive to passengers.’
    • ‘One of my wife's sisters was also present, nattering at my older brother about something.’
    • ‘A man grabs my shoulder and starts nattering at me in Swedish.’
    • ‘Jay and Bud are making something in the kitchen, nattering like old friends.’
    • ‘It was fun, nattering on about my various writing projects and reflecting on my day's work.’
    • ‘We walked and spent the whole evening last night nattering about him.’
    • ‘She's constantly nattering on about her plans for the weekend and what she plans to cook.’
    • ‘Anyhow, we ate our curries and noodles and nattered away for a fair few hours, catching up on all the things we've missed.’
    chat, talk idly, chatter, prattle, prate, go on, run on, rattle away, rattle on, gossip, tittle-tattle, tattle, ramble, gabble, jabber, babble, blather, blether, blither, twitter, maunder, drivel, patter, yap, jibber-jabber, cackle
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noun

informal in singular

  • A casual and leisurely conversation.

    • ‘I could do with a drink and a natter’
    • ‘At one point I was worried Ronnie wasn't going to recover and I would go round to Stephanie's and have a good cry or a natter.’
    • ‘‘I'm not stopping,’ chirrups the visitor who settles down for a cuppa and a natter with her coat on.’
    • ‘He used to go to Beckhill Working Men's Club and have a natter with Donald because he knew what nights he went there.’
    • ‘Coming to bingo is the only chance I get to relax, chill out and have a bit of a natter with my friends or family.’
    • ‘Each lunchtime he would go to Mario's, his local caff in Kentish Town, for a natter with the locals.’
    • ‘She said: ‘I'll miss having a natter with the teachers but I won't miss having to get up at half-past six!’’
    • ‘Many of them are elderly and have nowhere to go and have a natter.’
    • ‘I stayed at home with my mum, and we had a good natter.’
    • ‘I felt very, very alive, and so desperate to speak with an intelligent, creative woman that I rang a friend back home for a good natter.’
    • ‘We also had a natter about psychology and the Mediterranean diet.’
    • ‘It feels a bit like when you're in a supermarket and, by the fruit and veg, you bump into somebody you know well enough to stop and have a natter.’
    • ‘Now for something completely different for those of you who are getting weary of the political natter.’
    • ‘It's the kind of place you could meet your mates on a Saturday lunchtime for a natter and nachos, or have an early tea after work, as we did.’
    • ‘Buni comes round for a natter, in lieu of the lunch I've had to cancel.’
    • ‘It was a great comfort to my mother - they had a grand natter over a cup of tea.’
    • ‘Had quite a nice lunch and a natter with Owen; he seems to be enjoying life in Britain.’
    • ‘Noel made sure that he popped into his grandparents for an enjoyable natter.’
    • ‘It's a shame we didn't have time for a natter when we'd done, but my next guest was waiting and we had to move on.’
    • ‘So you send email, you ring your friends, and you have a natter round the coffee machine.’
    • ‘As soon as he recognised her he gave her a peck on the cheek and stopped for a natter.’
    chat, talk, conversation, gossip, chatter, chitter-chatter, heart-to-heart, tête-à-tête, blether, blather
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Origin

Early 19th century (in the dialect sense ‘grumble, fret’): imitative.