parlance

noun

par·​lance ˈpär-lən(t)s 

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

Think of the faster speed of sending over data, or higher bandwidth in chips parlance, as a highway. —Wayne Chang, CNN, 8 Dec. 2024

There isn’t a proper app store or any app icons to manage That will hopefully force developers to make apps (or, in Alexa's parlance, skills) that feel native to this device. —Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge, 22 Nov. 2024

Why Quinn was Washington’s choice as coach In Quinn’s parlance, his superpower as a coach is serving as an organizational connector. —Ben Standig, The Athletic, 29 Aug. 2024

In Jilly Cooper’s world, men conquer, women sigh, the sun shines perpetually on pale-gold Cotswolds mansions with bluebells in bloom, and absolutely everyone is DTF, as the parlance goes. —Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 1 Nov. 2024

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

Phrases Containing parlance

• in common parlance

Kids Definition

parlance

noun

par·​lance ˈpär-lən(t)s 

: manner of speech