parlance

noun

par·​lance ˈpär-lən(t)s How to pronounce parlance (audio)
Synonyms of parlance
1
: speech
especially : formal debate or parley
… battle and not parlance should determine his right and title. —John Speed
2
: manner or mode of speech : idiom
The company's computer system had, in computer parlance, "crashed."

Examples of parlance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Augusto, Marrero, Hernández and countless others have little choice but to figure things out which, in Cuban parlance, means overcoming whatever obstacle is placed in their way. — Juan Carlos López, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026 In response, the town shifted its marketing to late-night booze-ups and wedding parties (known, in British parlance, as stag dos and hen dos), and subsequently grew a reputation as a sandcastle Sodom. — George Francis Lee, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026 In OpenAI's current parlance, a plugin is a bundle of apps, instructions, role-specific skills, and recurring workflows rather than an external application or a folder of sample prompts. — Ray Ravaglia, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 Enough riders sagged ― RAGBRAI parlance for giving up riding and seeking a lift ― that the fleet of support-and-gear vans, or SAG wagons, could not accommodate them all on the second day. — Nick El Hajj, Des Moines Register, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for parlance

Word History

Etymology

Middle English parlaunce, borrowed from Anglo-French parlance, parlaunce "speech, gossip, debate," from parler "to speak, talk" + -aunce, -ance -ance — more at parley entry 2

Note: Parlance is much more amply attested in Anglo-French than in continental Old and Middle French, especially after ca. 1300. The Dictionnaire du moyen français has only marginal evidence for the word after 1350.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of parlance was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing parlance

Browse Nearby Words

parl
parlance
parlando
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Cite this Entry

“Parlance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parlance. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

parlance

noun
par·​lance ˈpär-lən(t)s How to pronounce parlance (audio)
: manner of speech

More from Merriam-Webster on parlance

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