Definition of parlay
transitive verb
1 : to bet in a parlay
2a : to exploit successfully He hoped to parlay his basketball skills into a college scholarship.b : to increase or otherwise transform into something of much greater value She parlayed $5,000 and years of hard work into a multimillion-dollar company.
Explore Merriam-Webster
parlay was our Word of the Day on 07/17/2016. Hear the podcast!
Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP
Recent Examples of parlay from the Web
-
Officials hope to parlay the new splash pad into an expansion of summer park programs, said park board president Mark Dickinson, adding the goal is to get kids away from electronics.
-
Hart managed to parlay those breaks into a full-blown empire, complete with stand-up specials, starring roles, sponsorship deals, and even apps.
-
Ryan parlayed her impersonations into a pop culture sketch series on VH1 called Stevie TV from 2012-2013, and was later a co-host of Brody Jenner‘s E!
-
She's parlayed her section of the internet into a bona fide community, using humor, charm, and her own vulnerability as currency.
-
Vick parlayed his foot speed and arm strength into becoming the NFL's No. 1 draft pick in 2001 and a 13-year pro career.
-
Besler, Gonzalez, DaMarcus Beasley, Pablo Mastroeni, Jimmy Conrad, Clint Dempsey and Stuart Holden are among those who parlayed Gold Cup success into a World Cup trip.
-
The launch marks the first time a luxury hotel chain has parlayed its brand to the sea, according to the company.
-
Todd parlayed that opportunity into a stellar 2017 season as the Tigers' everyday center fielder.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'parlay.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
If you're the gambling type, you may already know that parlay can also be used as a noun describing a series of bets in which a person places a bet, then puts the original stake of money and all of its winnings on new wagers. But you might not know that parlay represents a modified spelling of the French name for such bets: paroli. You might also be unaware that the original French word is still occasionally used in English with the same meaning as the noun parlay. Be careful not to mix up parlay with the similar word parley, meaning "to discuss terms with an enemy." Although the spellings are very close, parley comes from the Latin word for "speech."
Origin and Etymology of parlay
French paroli, noun, parlay, from Italian dialect, plural of parolo, perhaps from paro equal, from Latin par
parlay
Definition of parlay
: a series of two or more bets so set up in advance that the original stake plus its winnings are risked on the successive wagers; broadly : the fresh risking of an original stake together with its winnings
Recent Examples of parlay from the Web
-
As the home unbeaten streak builds toward 13 months, and as Sporting Kansas City parlays that clout into a top spot in the Western Conference, the road outings have told a different story.
-
Add a second team, and a typical Sunday three-game parlay crushes the flexibility even more, based on AFC and NFC contract rights deals with CBS and Fox.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'parlay.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of parlay
see 1parlay
PARLAY Defined for English Language Learners
parlay
playDefinition of parlay for English Language Learners
-
: to use or develop (something) to get something else that has greater value
Learn More about parlay
-
See words that rhyme with parlay Britannica English: Translation of parlay for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up parlay? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!