I. pat ‧ ter 1 /ˈpætə $ -ər/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Origin: ⇨ ↑ pat 2 ]
if something, especially water, patters, it makes quiet sounds as it keeps hitting a surface lightly and quickly
patter on
rain pattering on the window panes
II. patter 2 BrE AmE noun
[ Sense 1,3: Date: 1800-1900 ; Origin: ⇨ ↑ patter 1 ]
[ Sense 2: Date: 1700-1800 ; Origin: paternoster name of a Christian prayer (9-21 centuries) ]
1 . [singular] the sound made by something as it keeps hitting a surface lightly and quickly
patter of
the patter of footsteps
the pitter-patter of raindrops
2 . [singular, uncountable] fast, continuous, and usually amusing talk, used by someone telling jokes or trying to sell something:
It’s difficult to look at the cars without getting the sales patter.
3 . the patter of tiny feet used humorously to mean that someone is going to have a baby:
Are we going to hear the patter of tiny feet?