Stutter
/ˈstʌt̬.ɚ/noun
To speak with involuntary pauses and repeated sounds or syllables.
Did you know?Stutter is an imitative word built from repeated harsh consonants, and English also has the related verb *stammer*, showing how languages often turn speech itself into sound-symbolism.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*stut- / *stot-
“An imitative base expressing a sudden, broken, or repeated sound or movement”
Old English
OE
stutian
“To stammer or speak haltingly”
Middle English
ME
stutten
“To speak with a broken, repeated articulation”
14th–15th Century
English
stuteren / stuttern
“To stammer; to speak with involuntary repetition or blockage”
Modern English
English
stutter
“To speak with involuntary repetitions or pauses”