palaver
[puh-lav-er, ‐lah-ver]
- 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.
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- to talk profusely and idly.
- to parley or confer.
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- to cajole or persuade.
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Origin of palaver
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
chattyloquaciousramblingsuperfluousunnecessarylengthylong-windedturgidmeanderinglooselonglavishdullwafflingbombasticgabbygarrulousprolixtalkativeverbosepalaver
- 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
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- (intr) (often used humorously) to have a conference
- (intr) to talk loudly and confusedly
- (tr) to flatter or cajole
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Word Origin
C18: from Portuguese palavra talk, from Latin parabola parable
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Word Origin and History for palaverous
palaver
n.
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.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper