Banter Is Friendly Only If Both People Think So
Banter is teasing exchange between people who like each other. The word's origin is unknown, which is unusual for a common word.
Banter is playful teasing between people on good terms. Its origin is genuinely unknown: Jonathan Swift complained in 1710 that it was fashionable London slang of no respectable ancestry, and three centuries of research have not improved on that. The test of banter has always been mutual: if only one party is enjoying it, it is not banter.
- Playful teasing. *Friendly banter.*
- To tease playfully. *They bantered all evening.*
- Bants — informal British shortening. *Just bants.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | banter | Dressing-room banter. |
| Verb | banter | They bantered. |
| Adjective | bantering | A bantering tone. |
| Informal | bants | Pure bants. |
| Related | repartee | Sharp repartee. |
How it is used in a sentence
- There was plenty of banter.Uncountable.
- He called it banter; she called it bullying.The word is sometimes used as a defence.
- Sharp repartee is a higher form.Wit with a quick reply.
Words for verbal play
- Banter — light teasing between equals
- Repartee — quick, clever replies
- Ribbing — gentle mockery
- Wisecrack — a single sharp joke
- Badinage — the French-derived formal word for the same thing
First recorded in the 1670s as London slang. Swift disapproved of it and its origin has never been established — one of the more stubborn gaps in English etymology.
Where does the word come from?
Nobody knows. It appeared as London slang in the 1670s with no traceable ancestor, which is rare for a word this common.
Banter or bullying?
Banter requires that both people are enjoying it. When one is not, the word is being used as cover.