twitter

Noun (1)

twitter (countable and uncountable, plural twitters)

1. The sound of a succession of chirps as uttered by birds.
   • I often listen to the twitter of the birds in the park.
2. (uncountable) Unwanted flicker that occurs in interlaced displays when the image contains vertical detail that approaches the horizontal resolution of the video format.
   • Interline twitter occurs on interlaced displays at half the field-rate.1986, Second International Conference on Simulators: 7-11 September 1986, IEEE, page 145
3. (countable) A tremulous broken sound.
4. (countable) A slight trembling of the nerves.
5. (UK, countable, informal, regional) Chiefly in the form in a twitter: a state of excitement or nervousness; a twit.

Verb (1)

twitter (third-person singular simple present twitters, present participle twittering, simple past and past participle twittered)

1. (intransitive) To utter a succession of chirps.
   • The breezy call of incense-breathing Morn, / The swallow twittering from the straw-built shed,1750 June 12 (date written; published 1751), T[homas] Gray, “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard”, in Designs by Mr. R[ichard] Bentley, for Six Poems by Mr. T. Gray, London: […] R[obert] Dodsley...
   • The swallows, which had been tempted here in great numbers on account of the quantity of insects to be found in proximity to the wood, and had established themselves in the barn and under the eaves, were gambolling, circling, and twittering fearlessly about in the sunshine.1881, P. Chr. Asbjörnsen [i.e., Peter Christen Asbjørnsen], translated by H. L. Brækstad, Round the Yule Log. Norwegian Folk and Fairy Tales, London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington, →OCLC...
2. (intransitive, transitive) (of a person) To talk in an excited or nervous manner.
3. To make the sound of a half-suppressed laugh; to titter; to giggle.
   • Oh, the young handsom wenches, how they twitter'd, / When they but saw me shake my ware, and sing too!c. 1616–1619 (first performance), John Fletcher, “The Loyal Subiect”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, (please...
   • Ball held sow's ear,
     And both in rear,
     Ran against old Dame and hit her
     That she did fall,
     Over sow and Ball,
     How Jack and Jill did twitter.1810, Jack and Jill, and old Dame Gill, York: J. Kendrew, page 15
4. To have a slight trembling of the nerves; to be excited or agitated.
5. (obsolete, transitive) To twit; to reproach or upbraid.
   • I have repented of it many’s the good time and oft. And if he was so good to forgive me a word spoken in haste or so, it doth not become such a one as you to twitter me. He was a husband to me, he was; and if ever I did make use of an ill word or so in a passion, I never called him rascal […]1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC

Noun (2)

twitter (plural twitters)

1. (Northern England, Scotland, archaic) A knot or other defect in a thread or yarn which hinders spinning or weaving; a twit.

Proper noun capitalized: Twitter

UK/ˈtwɪ.tə/US/ˈtwɪ.təɹ/

Twitter

1. (trademark) An online social networking and microblogging service; officially known as X since 2023.
   • There were, of course, many Twitters existing in parallel: Politics Twitter, Sports Twitter, Black Twitter, Weird Twitter. But Twitter and TV went together like extreme weather and marine predators.2023 July 10, James Poniewozik, “The Twitter Watch Party Is Over”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 10 Jul 2023

   Synonyms:

   bird app, birdsite

Noun (3) capitalized: Twitter

UK/ˈtwɪ.tə/US/ˈtwɪ.təɹ/

Twitter (plural Twitters)

1. (Internet, informal) A user account on Twitter.
   • I've lost the password to my Twitter.
   • I deleted Twitter last night. I just can't keep up anymore.
2. (Internet, informal) A feed on Twitter.
3. (Internet, in-compounds, informal, usually) A community on Twitter.
   • There were, of course, many Twitters existing in parallel: Politics Twitter, Sports Twitter, Black Twitter, Weird Twitter. But Twitter and TV went together like extreme weather and marine predators.2023 July 10, James Poniewozik, “The Twitter Watch Party Is Over”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 10 Jul 2023

   Synonyms:

   -twt

Verb (2) capitalized: Twitter

UK/ˈtwɪ.tə/US/ˈtwɪ.təɹ/

Twitter (third-person singular simple present Twitters, present participle Twittering, simple past and past participle Twittered)

1. (Internet, ambitransitive, proscribed, sometimes) To tweet; to post an update to Twitter.
   • Stars can’t stop Twittering at Oscars, parties2009 February 23, MSNBC, “Stars can’t stop Twittering at Oscars, parties”, in Access Hollywood, archived from the original on 26 Feb 2009, retrieved 02 Mar 2009
   • Eight top-notch tips for the Twittering attorney2009 March 2, Justin Rebello, “Eight top-notch tips for the Twittering attorney"”, in Wisconsin Law Journal, archived from the original on 17 Oct 2025, retrieved 02 Mar 2009

   Synonyms:

   tweet