[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/banter/)

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# banter

noun (banter); verb (banter, banters, bantered, bantering)

«banter» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Friendly, playful teasing and joking talk between people: the friends' banter. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/banter/#m1)
2. (verb) To talk in this friendly, joking way. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/banter/#m2)
3. (UK slang, "bants" or "just banter") Jokes that are meant to be funny, though sometimes they hurt. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/banter/#m3)

### In the lessons

In everyday life and stories banter shows friends who are relaxed together. In safety and kindness lessons pupils learn that if a joke hurts someone or is about how they look, it is not banter but unkindness or bullying, even if someone says "it's just banter". Phrases: friendly banter, a bit of banter, it was only banter, bants (slang).

### Examples

- There was friendly banter between the two teams before the match. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/banter/#x1)
- Dad and Grandad banter about football every Sunday. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/banter/#x2)
- The shopkeeper bantered with the customers. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/banter/#x3)
- (UK slang) "Don't get upset, it's just bants." [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/banter/#x4)
- If it hurts someone's feelings, it isn't banter anymore. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/banter/#x5)
- The class enjoyed the teacher's banter. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/banter/#x6)
- (Ireland) The craic and banter at the party were great. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/banter/#x7)
- Several others bantered the old man, but he appeared to be in a good humor. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/banter/#x8)

### Note

Uncountable noun: "some banter", not "a banter". "Bants" is UK slang. Banter should be fun for everyone; using "only banter" as an excuse for unkind words is a trap.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «banter» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/banter/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«banter» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/banter.html) on Mova free.