spat

1 of 5

ˈspat 

past tense and past participle of spit

spat

2 of 5

noun (1)

plural spat or spats

: a young bivalve (such as an oyster)

spat

3 of 5

noun (2)

: a cloth or leather gaiter covering the instep and ankle

spat

4 of 5

noun (3)

1

chiefly dialectal : slap entry 2

2

: a brief petty quarrel or angry outburst

a lovers' spat

3

: a sound like that of rain falling in large drops

spat

5 of 5

verb

spatted; spatting

transitive verb

chiefly dialectal : slap

intransitive verb

1

: to quarrel pettily or briefly

2

: to strike with a sound like that of rain falling in large drops

Synonyms

Noun (3)

• altercation
• argle-bargle [chiefly British]
• argument
• argy-bargy [chiefly British]
• battle royal
• bicker
• brawl
• contretemps
• controversy
• cross fire
• disagreement
• dispute
• donnybrook
• falling-out
• fight
• hassle
• imbroglio
• kickup
• misunderstanding
• quarrel
• rhubarb
• row
• scrap
• set-to
• squabble
• tiff
• wrangle

Verb

• altercate
• argue
• argufy
• bicker
• brabble
• brawl
• controvert
• dispute
• fall out
• fight
• hassle
• jar
• quarrel
• quibble
• row
• scrap
• squabble
• tiff
• wrangle

Examples of spat in a Sentence

Noun (3)

like any couple, they have their spats

Verb

They were typical sisters, spatting one minute, playing together the next.

we tend to spat over money more than anything else

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

During the first trade spat in 2018 and 2019, the yuan depreciated by 11.5% versus the greenback and offset about two-thirds of the tariff hike, according to analysis from Morgan Stanley economists including Robin Xing. —Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune Asia, 29 Nov. 2024

Death Toll in 'Humanitarian Catastrophe' The diplomatic spat comes at the crux of a worsening humanitarian crisis in Haiti. —Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024

Verb

The flare comes after nearly a week of flares and coronal plasma ejections spat toward the planet that threatened disruptions to power and communications systems on Earth. —Greg Wehner, Fox News, 15 May 2024

Israeli media reported that coalition lawmaker Simcha Rothman had joined a Sukkot march during which ultra-Orthodox Jews spat at churches. —Julia Frankel The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

origin unknown

Noun (2)

short for spatterdash legging

Noun (3)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1667, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1802, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1729, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1832, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

spat

1 of 5

ˈspat 

past and past participle of spit

spat

2 of 5 noun

plural spat or spats

: a young oyster

spat

3 of 5 noun

: a cloth or leather covering for the instep and ankle

spat

4 of 5 noun

1

: a brief unimportant quarrel : dispute

2

: a sound like that of rain falling in large drops

spat

5 of 5 verb

spatted; spatting

1

: to have a spat : quarrel

2

: to strike with a sound like that of rain falling in large drops

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

Noun

a shortened form of spatterdash "a protective covering for the ankle or leg"

Medical Definition

spat

past and past part of spit