Batter

/ˈbætər/

nounBeginnerVery CommonGeneral

Definitions

2 meanings
1

A mixture of flour, eggs, milk, and other ingredients used to make cakes, pancakes, etc.

/ˈbætər/

nounneutralBeginner
General

A semi-liquid mixture

The pancake batter was light and fluffy.

💡 Simply: A mix for baking.

More Examples

2

He carefully poured the batter into the prepared muffin tins.

How It's Used

Cooking

"The cake batter was too thick."

2

To strike repeatedly and forcefully; to damage by repeated blows.

/ˈbætər/

verbnegativeIntermediate
General

To hit repeatedly

The waves battered the coastline.

💡 Simply: To hit hard many times.

More Examples

2

The storm battered the house.

How It's Used

Sports

"The baseball player battered the ball."

Violence

"The thugs battered the victim."

Tip:Imagine a baseball bat repeatedly hitting a ball.

Idioms & expressions

batter down the hatches

To prepare for a difficult situation.

"We'll have to batter down the hatches and ride out the storm."

From Middle English <i>batre</i>, from Old French <i>batre</i>, from Vulgar Latin *battĕre, from Latin *battuere, frequentative of *battuere "to beat, strike".

The word's use in the sense of 'to beat' has a long history, appearing in various forms across many centuries.

Memory tip

Think of it as a 'battle' of ingredients blended together.

baterbattir

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written