twitter

1 of 2

verb

twit·​ter ˈtwi-tər 

twittered; twittering; twitters

intransitive verb

1

: to utter successive chirping noises

birds twittering in the trees

2

a

: to talk in a chattering fashion

What are those people twittering about?

b

: giggle, titter

A few people twittered at the absurd statement.

3

: to tremble with agitation : flutter

a hand twittering

transitive verb

1

: to utter in chirps or twitters

the robin twittered its morning song

2

: to shake rapidly back and forth : flutter

twittered his upraised fingers for attention

twitter

2 of 2

noun

1

: a small tremulous intermittent sound (as of birds)

2

a

: a light silly laugh : giggle

twitters from the back of the classroom

b

: a light chattering

3

: a trembling agitation : quiver

twittery

ˈtwi-tə-rē 

adjective

Synonyms of twitter

Verb

• chat
• talk
• converse

Noun

• huff
• panic
• fuss
• sweat
• fret

Examples of twitter in a Sentence

Verb

The birds were twittering in the trees.

A robin twittered its morning song.

What are those people twittering about?

Noun

The twitter of songbirds filled the air.

our grandmother gets all in a twitter if she doesn't get her weekly phone call right on time

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Ma Binney inspected me as the widows twittered behind her. — Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026

Rather, the dominant sound at Wild Oak is birds of every stripe and hue, twittering in the surrounding trees. — Merrill Shindler, Daily News, 21 Aug. 2025

Flocks of birds in nearby trees twitter and shriek, and a metallic screech rings out from the adjacent machine shop, one of the first buildings to get electricity. — IEEE Spectrum, 20 Apr. 2015

Some high-tech ones these days are designed to emit light mimicking sunrise, waking users gently with a soft glow and relaxing sounds such as birds twittering or the lilt of a flute. — Krystal Hur, CNN, 23 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English twiteren; akin to Old High German zwizzirōn to twitter

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1653, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing twitter

• in a twitter

Rhymes for twitter

• bitter
• critter
• fitter
• fritter
• glitter
• hitter
• jitter
• knitter
• litter
• quitter
• ritter
• splitter

Kids Definition

twitter

1 of 2 verb

twit·​ter ˈtwit-ər 

1

: to make a series of chirping sounds

2

: to talk in a chattering fashion

3

: to make or become very nervous and upset

twitter

2 of 2 noun

1

: a nervous upset state

2

: the chirping of birds

3

: a light chattering