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

Their online parlance is punctuated by empty enthusiasms, vicious aspersions, and obvious hypocrisies that rarely matter. —Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2025

Losers, to use the parlance of Burgum’s boss, are parks like Knife River Indian Villages, a national historic site in the secretary’s home state of North Dakota. —Gloria Liu, Outside Online, 22 Oct. 2025

In liberal parlance, that’s a Do Pass Go and Do Collect Millions card. —Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 22 Oct. 2025

In auto industry parlance, the loans were underwater. —Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 21 Oct. 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