palaver

[puh-lav-er, ‐lah-ver]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR palaver ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a conference or discussion.

a long parley, especially one between primitive natives and European traders, explorers, colonial officials, etc.

profuse and idle talk; chatter.

persuasive talk; flattery; cajolery.

verb (used without object), pa·lav·ered, pa·lav·er·ing.

to talk profusely and idly.

to parley or confer.

verb (used with object), pa·lav·ered, pa·lav·er·ing.

to cajole or persuade.

Origin of palaver

1720–30; < Portuguese palavra word, speech, talk < Late Latin parabola parable

Related formspa·lav·er·er, pa·lav·er·ist, nounpa·lav·er·ment, nounpa·lav·er·ous, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for palaver

conference, dialogue, wheedle, conversation, parley, babble, flatter, discussion, gab, chitchat, clack, blab, chatter, debate, talk, flummery, cajolery

Examples from the Web for palaver

Contemporary Examples of palaver

He seemed at first much pleased of the situation, but after examining the captives closely he called a palaver.
The Story Behind The World’s Greatest Headline
Brandy Zadrozny
January 21, 2014
With North Korea, the palaver is mostly about hoping and waiting.
What the U.S. Government Knows About North Korea's New Ruler
Leslie H. Gelb
December 20, 2011

Historical Examples of palaver

The minute they started their drillin' an' palaver, they ought to 'a' been stopped.
Changing Winds
St. John G. Ervine
Meantime the palaver inside Jim's house went on in the presence of the girl.
Lord Jim
Joseph Conrad
Oh, for pity's sake, woman, let me through without any palaver!
Miss Pat at School
Pemberton Ginther
I'll palaver to 'em, and tell 'em we just come to pay 'em a visit.
The Moving Picture Girls at Rocky Ranch
Laura Lee Hope
So the governor is coming down here to have a palaver with us.'
Tom Gerrard
Louis Becke

British Dictionary definitions for palaver

palaver

noun

tedious or time-consuming business, esp when of a formal natureall the palaver of filling in forms

loud and confused talk and activity; hubbub

(often used humorously) a conference

rare talk intended to flatter or persuade

Western African

an argument
trouble arising from an argument

verb

(intr) (often used humorously) to have a conference

(intr) to talk loudly and confusedly

(tr) to flatter or cajole

Word Origin for palaver

C18: from Portuguese palavra talk, from Latin parabola parable

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for palaver

1733 (implied in palavering), "talk, conference, discussion," sailors' slang, from Portuguese palavra "word, speech, talk," traders' term for "negotiating with the natives" in West Africa, metathesis of Late Latin parabola "speech, discourse," from Latin parabola "comparison" (see parable). Meaning "idle talk" first recorded 1748. The verb is 1733, from the noun. Related: Palavering.