Word of the Day:

July 26, 2010

parlay

verb PAHR-lay

What it Means

1 : to bet in a parlay

2 a : to exploit successfully

b : to increase or otherwise transform into something of much greater value

Parlay in Context

The young actor parlayed his popularity as a teen heartthrob into a successful film career.

More example sentences

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."

Want to listen to the Word of the Day instead?