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

In football parlance, Indiana fumbled the bag. —Brendan Marks, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026

It was once said, for instance, that Disney’s cast members — staff, in park parlance — would be able to recognize if someone’s personality leaned resistance, First Order or rogue. —Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026

In the parlance of sports fandom, Wembanyama is a freak. —Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 25 Dec. 2025

Called long-duration energy storage, or LDES in industry parlance, the concept is the key to maximizing the value of renewable energy. —IEEE Spectrum, 21 Dec. 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