parlance
Americannoun
-
a way or manner of speaking; vernacular; idiom.
legal parlance.
-
speech, especially a formal discussion or debate.
-
talk; parley.
noun
-
a particular manner of speaking, esp when specialized; idiom
political parlance
-
archaic any discussion, such as a debate
Etymology
Origin of parlance
Explanation
The noun parlance means the manner of speaking and using words. Your 15-year-old will tell you that you are definitely not fluent in the parlance of teenagers, no matter how cool you think you are. Parlance comes from the French word parler, meaning "to speak." The noun is often used to refer to the jargon or slang a certain group or industry uses. If you work in the sciences, you'll be familiar with the parlance of scientists and be familiar with such jargon as "goodness of fit" and "iff", which means "if and only if". But if you are not a scientist, you may stumble when you first come across such terms.
Vocabulary lists containing parlance
Just Mercy
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!
Twelve Years a Slave
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 Boys in the Boat
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.
Once storage fills up—a condition known in industry parlance as “tank tops”—producers face the technically and politically costly reality of halting production.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026
In breeder parlance, miniature can apply to any pig under 300 pounds.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026
A clue to how quickly options traders thought the latest volatility spike could dissipate was seen in VIX futures, which remained below the VIX over recent sessions, a condition known in trader parlance as backwardation.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 22, 2026
There’s no question that capping card interest rates at some level could bring savings to consumers to maintain monthly balances — “revolvers,” in industry parlance.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 14, 2026
The second-eldest child, Buddy, was what is known in campus-catalogue parlance as “writer-in-residence” at a girls’ junior college in upper New York State.
From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger
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.
