TALKATIVE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does talkative mean? 

• TALKATIVE (adjective)
  The adjective TALKATIVE has 3 senses:

1. full of trivial conversation

2. unwisely talking too much

3. friendly and open and willing to talk

  Familiarity information: TALKATIVE used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TALKATIVE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Full of trivial conversation

Synonyms:

chatty; gabby; garrulous; loquacious; talkative; talky

Context example:

kept from her housework by gabby neighbors

Similar:

voluble (marked by a ready flow of speech)

Derivation:

talkativeness (the quality of being wordy and talkative)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Unwisely talking too much

Synonyms:

bigmouthed; blabbermouthed; blabby; talkative

Similar:

indiscreet (lacking discretion; injudicious)

Derivation:

talk (divulge confidential information or secrets)

talkativeness (the quality of being wordy and talkative)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Friendly and open and willing to talk

Synonyms:

expansive; talkative

Context example:

wine made the guest expansive

Similar:

communicative; communicatory (able or tending to communicate)

Derivation:

talk (exchange thoughts; talk with)

talkativeness (the quality of being wordy and talkative)

 Context examples 

When they all sat down it was better; to her taste a great deal better, for Frank Churchill grew talkative and gay, making her his first object.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

At length Steerforth, becoming gay and talkative in a moment, as he could become anything he liked at any moment, pulled me by the arm: Find a voice, David.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

"How do you mean, ask them questions?" I queried, wishful to get him into a talkative humour.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Scientists thought that star-shaped brain cells called astrocytes were steady, quiet supporters of their talkative, wire-like neighbors, called neurons.

(Star-like cells may help the brain tune breathing rhythms, National Institutes of Health)

Lady Bertram was quite talkative.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

He said, “they commonly acted like mortals till about thirty years old; after which, by degrees, they grew melancholy and dejected, increasing in both till they came to fourscore. This he learned from their own confession: for otherwise, there not being above two or three of that species born in an age, they were too few to form a general observation by. When they came to fourscore years, which is reckoned the extremity of living in this country, they had not only all the follies and infirmities of other old men, but many more which arose from the dreadful prospect of never dying. They were not only opinionative, peevish, covetous, morose, vain, talkative, but incapable of friendship, and dead to all natural affection, which never descended below their grandchildren. Envy and impotent desires are their prevailing passions. But those objects against which their envy seems principally directed, are the vices of the younger sort and the deaths of the old. By reflecting on the former, they find themselves cut off from all possibility of pleasure; and whenever they see a funeral, they lament and repine that others have gone to a harbour of rest to which they themselves never can hope to arrive. They have no remembrance of anything but what they learned and observed in their youth and middle-age, and even that is very imperfect; and for the truth or particulars of any fact, it is safer to depend on common tradition, than upon their best recollections. The least miserable among them appear to be those who turn to dotage, and entirely lose their memories; these meet with more pity and assistance, because they want many bad qualities which abound in others.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Of our all being so merry and talkative in the carriage going back.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I mean in person—tall, and with that sort of look—and not very talkative.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

His immediate communications were exhausted, and it seemed enough to be looking joyfully around him, now at one, now at another of the beloved circle; but the pause was not long: in the elation of her spirits Lady Bertram became talkative, and what were the sensations of her children upon hearing her say, How do you think the young people have been amusing themselves lately, Sir Thomas?

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Mr. Jack Maldon tried to be very talkative, but was not at his ease, and made matters worse.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)