pitter-patter

See also: pitterpatter

English

Etymology

Reduplication of patter.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈpɪt.əˈpæt.ə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈpɪt.ɚˈpæt.ɚ/

  • Audio (US)

    (file)

Noun

pitter-patter (uncountable)

1. A soft, percussive sound, as of tiny feet, or of rain on a rooftop.
   • 1898, H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, London: William Heinemann, page 237:

     Once or twice I heard a faint pitter-patter like the feet of the dog going hither and thither on the sand far below me, and there were more bird-like sounds, but that was all.

Translations

soft percussive sound

• Finnish: tepsutus (fi) (tiny feet), ropina (fi) (rain)
• German: Getapse n (of feet)
• Italian: scalpiccìo m (tiny feet), picchiettìo m (rain)
• Japanese: ぱたぱたと (patapata), しとしと (ja)
• Vietnamese: lộp độp (vi), bôm bốp (vi)