patter song
Americannoun
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a comic song depending for its humorous effect on rapid enunciation of the words, occurring most commonly in comic opera and operetta.
noun
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music a humorous song or aria, the text of which consists of rapid strings of words
Etymology
Origin of patter song
First recorded in 1815–25
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Over the years, it became an established tradition that Ko-Ko rewrite his patter song, “I’ve Got a Little List,” to keep the operetta’s satire topical.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026
Mr. Brady pulled off Don Profondo’s patter song “Medaglie incomparabili,” a tongue-twisting list of precious objects, as an auctioneer’s spiel.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 1, 2025
Evelyn's is a patter song and it’s very ga-ga-ga-ga-ga, because her brain is sort of everywhere.
From Salon • Oct. 26, 2023
Musicals often rely on familiar patterns — a patter song here, an “I want” number there — and biographical musicals might well be the most predictable of all.
From New York Times • Mar. 23, 2022
CBS later noticed her in the 1970 production of the Stephen Sondheim musical “Company,” in which Ms. Howland played a neurotic bride, memorably delivering the patter song “Getting Married Today.”
From Washington Post • May 25, 2016
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.