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

One part of this process, known in Senate parlance as reconciliation, provisions legislation being moved in this manner to increase the federal deficit beyond the next 10-year budget window. —Andrea Ruth, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2025

In Wall Street parlance, the float refers to the number of shares available to the public. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025

The result appears to be a showdown between Google (which, in classical Marxian parlance, owns the means of production) and publishers, who, absent some course correction, may be left out in the cold, with simple admonitions to get started podcasting. —John Werner, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025

To speak in internet parlance, Brittany Snow starring in a sapphic murder-mystery thriller for Netflix was not on my bingo card. —Sam Reed, Glamour, 8 Aug. 2025

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