To prattle means to talk at length in a foolish or inconsequential way, chattering on about trivial matters without saying anything particularly important or interesting. When someone prattles, they keep talking and talking, often about nothing that really matters.

You might hear adults say that someone prattled on about their weekend plans, or that a younger sibling prattled about their favorite cartoon for twenty minutes straight. The word suggests talk that's harmless but somewhat tiresome, like background noise that keeps going without much point.

Prattle is different from conversation, where people exchange meaningful ideas, or storytelling, where someone shares something interesting. It's closer to babbling: words flowing without much thought behind them. A person might prattle nervously when they're anxious, filling silence with whatever comes to mind. Young children often prattle as they're learning to use language, experimenting with words and sounds before they fully grasp how to communicate clearly.

The word isn't usually harsh or mean, just mildly dismissive. If someone describes your talking as prattle, they're suggesting you might want to get to the point or think before speaking.