Chats

Part of speech: verb, noun

Pronunciation: /t͡ʃæts/

Definitions

1. Informal conversations, typically lighthearted and spontaneous, occur among individuals, engaging them in the sharing of ideas, experiences, or feelings while sometimes involving humor
2. Light discussions, characterized by their casual nature, can take place in person or online, allowing interlocutors to interact and share various topics in a friendly manner
3. Casual spoken exchanges between people typically involving friendly or spontaneous talk ; digital communications where participants type messages to each other instantly in a virtual space

Etymology: "Chats" is simply the plural (or third-person singular) form of "chat", so the story belongs to the verb. The verb "chat" is a clipping of "chatter", which arrived in English from Middle English "cheteren" and "chiteren", words that imitate the rapid, repetitive sound of talk. The bird sense, as in a chat warbler, refers to the sound of the bird's call. The shorter form appears to have been cut down from the longer word, which is why the two look so alike. The source also records a rival suggestion, that "chat" came from thieves' cant, the secret slang of criminals, but its origin there is unknown, so the imitative pathway is the one that holds up.

Synonyms: talks, converses, discusses

Antonyms: silences, quiets