stutter

¹stut·ter

verb \ˈstə-tər\

Definition of STUTTER

intransitive verb

1

: to speak with involuntary disruption or blocking of speech (as by spasmodic repetition or prolongation of vocal sounds)

2

: to move or act in a halting or spasmodic manner <the old jalopy bucks and stutters uphill — William Cleary>

transitive verb

: to say, speak, or sound with or as if with a stutter

— stut·ter·er \-tər-ər\ noun

Examples of STUTTER

1. I used to stutter when I was a child.
2. She stutters when she gets excited.

Origin of STUTTER

frequentative of English dialect stut to stutter, from Middle English stutten; akin to Dutch stotteren to stutter, Gothic stautan to strike — more at contusion

First Known Use: 1566

Rhymes with STUTTER

butter, clutter, cutter, flutter, gutter, mutter, nutter, putter, scutter, shutter, splutter, sputter, strutter, utter