Babblers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of individuals who engage in idle or excessive chatter, often without any significant purpose or content
2. Individuals who talk incessantly or indiscriminately, usually sharing trivial information or gossip
3. Those who indulge in nonsensical or superficial conversation, frequently focusing on minor details rather than meaningful dialogue

Etymology: "Babblers" is the plural of "babbler," so the noun traces back to the verb "babble," which in Middle English was spelled and pronounced in a way that echoes its meaning. The base word "babble" is an imitative formation, built to sound like the rapid, meaningless stream of speech it describes, and the "-er" ending turns the action into a person who does it. A "babbler" is therefore, quite literally, someone who babbles. The plural form simply applies the same idea to a group. Each member of the set is one who chatters without much purpose, so the collective noun inherits the sense of the verb without any extra twist. Its meaning has stayed close to its origin, which makes it one of the more transparent words in the vocabulary of talk.

Synonyms: talkers, gossips

Antonyms: listeners