as in terminology
the special terms or expressions of a particular group or field
eventually, he got bored with the shoptalk of the nuclear engineers, which he barely understood
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Recent Examples of shoptalk
These were often portraits of people at work—jockeys, preachers, movie stars—that showcase the indiscriminate pleasure Crews took in shoptalk.
—
Charlie Lee, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
The house rule is that shoptalk is verboten on Saturdays.
—Sue Reilly, Peoplemag, 13 Feb. 2024
In between performances and shoptalk, Saul and Caprice are drawn into overlapping intrigues involving a dead child and an inner-beauty pageant.
—New York Times, 2 June 2022
The numb shoptalk of consulates?
—Matthew Carey Salyer, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2021
In shoptalk, this is called the 5:2 diet.
—Mark Barna, Discover Magazine, 2 Mar. 2018
My mother was becoming increasingly wary of the stir-crazy shoptalk from a group of 40-year-old guys who were three trail beers away from skiing down the mountain to their deaths.
—Kaitlin Phillips, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2018
Charlie Lee, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
The house rule is that shoptalk is verboten on Saturdays.
—Sue Reilly, Peoplemag, 13 Feb. 2024
In between performances and shoptalk, Saul and Caprice are drawn into overlapping intrigues involving a dead child and an inner-beauty pageant.
—New York Times, 2 June 2022
The numb shoptalk of consulates?
—Matthew Carey Salyer, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2021
In shoptalk, this is called the 5:2 diet.
—Mark Barna, Discover Magazine, 2 Mar. 2018
My mother was becoming increasingly wary of the stir-crazy shoptalk from a group of 40-year-old guys who were three trail beers away from skiing down the mountain to their deaths.
—Kaitlin Phillips, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoptalk
Noun
-
With highly specialized terminology, of course.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The terminology for these classes is well-established and often recycled.—
Dan Bernstein,
Sportico.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The nation and the world have long since become accustomed to Trump’s loutish behavior, coarse vocabulary and disrespect for the dignity of his office and America’s reputation.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Shredding was never in my dad’s vocabulary.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The British colonial name of New Cut was different from other nearby creeks—Wadmalaw, Bohicket, Leadenwah, Stono—all named in Indigenous dialects.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Today, many of those words fill out the default dialect of an entire generation — regardless of race, region or class — living online.—
Moriah Humiston,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Arghavan runs a small language school that teaches French to Iranians who want to live in the Canadian province of Quebec.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
That language isn’t in the new law.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Mogging is internet slang for dominating someone less attractive.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
-
But alcohol rations for sailors in general had been eliminated many years before Daniels’s ban, and the wine prohibition would have applied only to a small set of officers, too small a group to generate such popular slang.—
Aman Kumar,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shoptalk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoptalk. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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