dalliance
Americannoun
-
a trifling away of time; dawdling.
-
amorous toying; flirtation.
noun
-
waste of time in frivolous action or in dawdling
-
an archaic word for flirtation
Etymology
Origin of dalliance
First recorded in 1300–50, dalliance is from the Middle English word daliaunce. See dally, -ance
Explanation
A dalliance is a playful flirtation, one that might lead to a casual romance. The king's public dalliance toward the lady in waiting shocked everyone in the court except for the queen. First appearing in Middle English, the noun dalliance stems from the verb dally, meaning "to waste time, to act playfully, especially in a flirtatious way." Dalliance often describes a casual flirtation — generally something short-term and not very serious. Your aunt may blush when you mention her dalliance with the rugby player she met that time in Dublin. Dalliance can also refer to goofing off when you should be working. Your coworker's continued dalliance can result in missed deadlines.
Vocabulary lists containing dalliance
The Downstairs Girl
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Henry V
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark," Act 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But the dalliance frayed after widespread antigovernment protests in 2011 drew the Kremlin’s attention to the reach of blogs and social-media platforms that opposition leaders like Alexei Navalny used to rally supporters and expose corruption.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
It turned out to be nothing but a brief dalliance for the couple, who struggled with the area’s punishing heat.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 27, 2026
But this time the restraint isn’t derived from the fear of judgment; it’s borne out of the knowledge that any dalliance with Samuel could have dire consequences.
From Salon • Dec. 23, 2024
Wainright’s crossover to football was just a yearlong dalliance sparked by practicality.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2023
Again my hope for a storybook dalliance was thwarted by the fact that the stream was only about six inches deep.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
