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.

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."