Mutter
/ˈmʌt.ər/noun
To speak in a low, unclear voice, often in annoyance or secrecy.
Did you know?The word is probably imitative in origin, echoing the sound of indistinct speech rather than coming from a dramatic ancient ritual root—but that makes it even more primal: language imitating the body before meaning fully forms.
Etymological Timeline
Late Middle English
English
moteren
“To speak in a low or indistinct way; to murmur”
Early Modern English
English
mutter
“To murmur or speak under the breath”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*muttōną / *mūtōną
“Likely an imitative base for murmuring or low speech”
Modern English
English
mutter
“To speak in a low, unclear voice, often in annoyance or secrecy”