parlor game

American  

noun

1. any game usually played indoors, especially in the living room or parlor, as a word game or a quiz, requiring little or no physical activity.

---

Etymology

Origin of parlor game

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

The scene where the quartet plays their pre-wedding parlor game occurs about 25 minutes into Borgli’s film, and is ripe with instrumental, pre-twist subtext.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

Don't call it the "Marty Supreme" effect: table tennis is a growing sport in the United States, in part because of a new professional league giving the parlor game an ultra-competitive edge.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

But he knows that, if a critic can’t draw enlightening connections, attribution is only a parlor game.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

A parlor game among attendees was comparing the scores generated by their Oura Ring health trackers, which were generally low given back-to-back meetings during the day and partying well into the night.

From New York Times • Jan. 20, 2024

Back home, the idea of French had seemed like a parlor game anyhow.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Related Words

• board game