stutter

What it means

1. ambitransitiveTo speak (words) with a spasmodic repetition of vocal sounds.

   He stuttered a few words of thanks.

   Synonyms: hacker, stammer

2. intransitiveTo expel a gas with difficulty.

   I was stuttering after the marathon.

   1 more example

   The engine of the old car stuttered going up the slope.

In a sentence

He stuttered a few words of thanks.

Where it comes from

1. Middle Englishstutten, stoten“stutter”
2. Englishstutter

From Middle English stutten, stoten (“stutter”); cognate with Dutch stotteren (“stutter”).