To make a rapid, clicking or chattering sound, especially with the teeth.
From Old English gnaterian, related to gnat; the -er suffix makes it a verb. The word evolved from onomatopoeia—the sound itself inspired the word to describe similar sounds.
Gnatter is one of those rare words where the sound of the word almost matches what it describes, similar to 'crackle' or 'buzz.' It's related to both the insect gnat and nervous chatter, capturing how anxiety makes your teeth chatter.
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