: a cloth or leather gaiter covering the instep and ankle
1
chiefly dialectal
: slap entry 2
2
: a brief petty quarrel or angry outburst
a lovers' spat
3
: a sound like that of rain falling in large drops
spatted; spatting
chiefly dialectal
: slap
1
: to quarrel pettily or briefly
2
: to strike with a sound like that of rain falling in large drops
Examples of spat in a Sentence
Noun (3)
like any couple, they have their spats
Verb
They were typical sisters, spatting one minute, playing together the next.
we tend to spat over money more than anything else
Recent Examples on the Web
Bram Sable-Smith, NPR, 27 Oct. 2025
Canada is looking to reset relations with China after years of contention, as Ottawa’s trade spat with Washington worsens.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
Mulroney, Ackerman, Snow, and Newman turn this story of spatting WAGS into an explosive, addictive watch.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spat
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Noun
Nationwide, contract disputes are common with more than 650 hospitals having a public spat with an insurer since 2021.
—Bram Sable-Smith, NPR, 27 Oct. 2025
Canada is looking to reset relations with China after years of contention, as Ottawa’s trade spat with Washington worsens.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
Callie and Arizona: Another couple spatting over kids.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
Mulroney, Ackerman, Snow, and Newman turn this story of spatting WAGS into an explosive, addictive watch.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spat
Cite this Entry
“Spat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spat. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spat
2 of 5 noun
plural spat or spats
: a young oyster
spat
3 of 5 noun
: a cloth or leather covering for the instep and ankle
spat
4 of 5 noun1
: a brief unimportant quarrel : dispute
2
: a sound like that of rain falling in large drops
spat
5 of 5 verb
spatted; spatting
1
: to have a spat : quarrel
2
: to strike with a sound like that of rain falling in large drops
Etymology
Noun
origin unknown
Noun
a shortened form of spatterdash "a protective covering for the ankle or leg"
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