SMALL TALK Definition & Meaning

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small talk

noun

light conversation; chitchat.
Synonyms: , ,

small-talk

[ smawl-tawk ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used without object)

to engage in or have a propensity for small talk.

small talk

noun

light conversation for social occasions

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of small talk¹

First recorded in 1745–55

Origin of small talk²

First recorded in 1780–90

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Idioms and Phrases

Casual or trivial conversation, chitchat, as in We stood around making small talk until the guest of honor arrived . The small in this expression alludes to unimportant subjects of conversation, as opposed to serious or weighty ones. [Mid-1700s]

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

He makes small talk about baseball with the security, but the ATM just won’t give him cash.

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While making small talk with Thailand's prime minister on the sidelines of an international summit in 2023, the Chinese president was heard saying that China had "got lucky" in a recent victory against Thailand.

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But his stunted talent for small talk can be very affecting in turns that, say, require him to deliver news to a weeping stranger, confirming their worst fear has come to pass.

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I’m just not good at small talk with strangers.

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Suddenly, she could exercise without her body getting sore, colleagues made more small talk with her and she felt comfortable going on adventurous dates with her boyfriend.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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