shoptalk

noun

shop·​talk ˈshäp-ˌtȯk How to pronounce shoptalk (audio)
: the jargon or subject matter peculiar to an occupation or a special area of interest

Examples of shoptalk in a Sentence

There was a lot of shoptalk at the office party. eventually, he got bored with the shoptalk of the nuclear engineers, which he barely understood
Recent Examples on the Web The house rule is that shoptalk is verboten on Saturdays. Sue Reilly, Peoplemag, 13 Feb. 2024 The numb shoptalk of consulates? Matthew Carey Salyer, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2021 In shoptalk, this is called the 5:2 diet. Mark Barna, Discover Magazine, 2 Mar. 2018 In between performances and shoptalk, Saul and Caprice are drawn into overlapping intrigues involving a dead child and an inner-beauty pageant. New York Times, 2 June 2022 The structure doesn’t mimic memory so much as the marathon conversations between Amis and Hitchens, some replicated here, that roved between history, gossip, craft, shoptalk. Parul Sehgal, New York Times, 20 Oct. 2020 But as at any industry gathering, shoptalk is hard to avoid. Michael M. Grynbaum, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2020 My mother was becoming increasingly wary of the stir-crazy shoptalk from a group of 40-year-old guys who were three trail beers away from skiing down the mountain to their deaths. Kaitlin Phillips, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2018 Listening to Chicago law enforcement shoptalk is a lot of fun. Elissa Schappell, vanityfair.com, 18 Oct. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shoptalk.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shoptalk was in 1881

Dictionary Entries Near shoptalk

Cite this Entry

“Shoptalk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shoptalk. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

shoptalk

noun
shop·​talk ˈshäp-ˌtȯk How to pronounce shoptalk (audio)
: talk about or related to one's work or special interests
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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