Garrulous
adjective /ˈɡærələs/ — Excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters.
Definition
Inclined to talk at excessive length, particularly about unimportant things; unable to stop speaking.
Beyond the definition
Garrulous captures the specific energy of someone who fills silence not because they have something to say but because they cannot bear not speaking. It's talking as a form of restlessness.
Origin & history
From Latin garrulus (chattering, babbling), from garrire (to chatter). Related to the general Latin root for bird-like chattering — the magpie energy of endless, undirected talk.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The garrulous cab driver recounted his entire life story in twenty minutes.
She found his garrulous nature exhausting after the quiet of the countryside.
Old age had made him garrulous in a way youth had never permitted.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Garrulous” when the meaning fits your context: Inclined to talk at excessive length, particularly about unimportant things; unable to stop speaking.
Synonyms
talkative, loquacious, verbose, chatty, voluble
Antonyms
Related words
- loquacious
- verbose
- voluble
- logorrhoea
Garrulous vs loquacious
Loquacious simply means very talkative — the loquacious person speaks a great deal, often pleasantly. Garrulous adds a qualitative element: the garrulous person talks at length about trivial, unimportant, or rambling things. A loquacious person might be engaging; a garrulous one tends to exhaust the listener. Both talk more than most, but garrulous implies the talk itself isn't particularly worthwhile.
Questions about this word
What does "Garrulous" mean?
Garrulous is adjective meaning: Excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters.. Inclined to talk at excessive length, particularly about unimportant things; unable to stop speaking.
Where does the word "Garrulous" come from?
From Latin garrulus (chattering, babbling), from garrire (to chatter). Related to the general Latin root for bird-like chattering — the magpie energy of endless, undirected talk.