What it means
A blatherskite is somebody who talks and talks but it’s all hot air. They waffle, blether, dodge the point, and somehow turn a two minute story into a full sermon. It’s a cracking Scottish put-down, sharp but not always brutal, often said with a wee eye roll when someone’s being a professional windbag.
Usage examples
"Aye, he’s at it again, ten minutes into the meeting and still no point. Total blatherskite, just blethering to hear his own voice."
"Don't get the old blatherskite started on the weather, you'll be there till midnight."
"He's a right blatherskite at meetings, talks for an hour and decides nothing."
"He cornered me after the pub quiz and gave me twenty minutes of pure fog. Absolute blatherskite."
"Every office has one blatherskite who turns a quick update into a full theatrical trilogy."
Where it comes from
Blatherskite is a real Scots-built insult from the 17th century. It grows out of blather, meaning pointless talk or gush, plus skite, an older Scots word used in insults for a contemptible or silly person. Put together, it tags somebody whose mouth’s doing marathons while their meaning never leaves the house.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
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