formal
: language used by a particular group of people
In military parlance, "bug out" means "to retreat." [=for people in the military, "bug out" means "to retreat"]
The book introduced many readers to terms that are now in common parlance. [=used by many people in ordinary conversation]
Cite this Entry
“Parlance.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/parlance. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy Citation
