Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “splutter” come from?

Splutter is a variant of sputter, which is of uncertain origin but possibly imitative in nature, first recorded in English in the 17th century.

splutter (English): To sputter; To spray droplets of saliva from the...

Definitions

  1. To sputter; To spray droplets of saliva from the...

Ancestry of “splutter”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsputterMoist matter thrown out in small detached...
2Middle Englishsputren—
3Middle Englishsputento spout, vomit

Words derived from “splutter”

  • spluttering
  • spluttery
  • splutteringly
  • splutterer
Every word from Middle English sputen →