Rat-a-Tat
/ˌræt.əˈtæt/noun
A sharp, repeated knocking or tapping sound, or an imitation of such a sound.
Did you know?“Rat-a-tat” is an example of onomatopoeia: its meaning comes not from an ancient root, but from the human impulse to imitate repeated percussion with speech.
Etymological Timeline
18th Century
English
rat-tat
“An imitative expression for a rapid succession of knocks or blows.”
Late 18th–Early 19th Century
English
rat-a-tat
“A rhythmic extension of “rat-tat,” representing repeated tapping or drumming.”
19th Century
English
rat-a-tat-tat
“An intensified form suggesting a longer or more emphatic burst of knocking.”
19th Century
English
rat-a-tat
“Used as a noun, verb, and interjection for a sharp repeated sound, especially knocking.”
Modern English
English
rat-a-tat
“A familiar sound-symbolic expression for rapid knocking, tapping, or gunfire-like percussion.”
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