English
chat
Chat comes from English chatter, and goes back to Middle English cheteren.
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500cheteren
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500chateren
- English1500–presentchatter
- Englishearliest quotation 1963chat
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500cheteren
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500chateren
- English1500–presentchatter
- Englishearliest quotation 1963chat
Earliest quotation: 1963, Margery Allingham, Foreword: “Reg liked a chat about old times and we…”
The story
The bird sense refers to the sound of its call.
Every English word from Middle English cheteren
Today it means
verb To be engaged in informal conversation.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Middle English cheteren / chat