parlour

[ pahr-ler ]

/ ˈpɑr lər /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR parlour ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, adjective Chiefly British.

parlor.

RELATED WORDS

parlor, salon, LR

Nearby words

Usage note

See -or¹.

Definition for parlour (2 of 2)

parlor

[ pahr-ler ]

/ ˈpɑr lər /

noun

Older Use. a room for the reception and entertainment of visitors to one's home; living room.

a room, apartment, or building serving as a place of business for certain businesses or professions: funeral parlor; beauty parlor.

a somewhat private room in a hotel, club, or the like for relaxation, conversation, etc.; lounge.

Also called locutorium. a room in a monastery or the like where the inhabitants may converse with visitors or with each other.

adjective

advocating something, as a political view or doctrine, at a safe remove from actual involvement in or commitment to action: parlor leftism; parlor pink.

Also especially British, par·lour.

Origin of parlor

1175–1225; Middle English parlur < Anglo-French; Old French parleor, equivalent to parl(er) to speak (see parle) + -eor -or²

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

Examples from the Web for parlour

The Lost PaintingBy Jonathan Harr Not all of us have lost paintings by Caravaggio in our parlour.
Alexander McCall Smith’s Art Book Bag|Alexander McCall Smith|September 4, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The hotel being quite full of visitors, two of our party had to sleep in the parlour on sofas of the horse-hair order.
Reminiscences of Travel in Australia, America, and Egypt|Richard Tangye
Aunt Olivia went into the parlour, settled herself in the old carved chair, and folded her hands.
Chronicles of Avonlea|Lucy Maud Montgomery
Impressed in a way she did not understand, Marian at once obeyed, and rejoined her mother in the parlour.
New Grub Street|George Gissing

In one parlour there was a pleasant wood-fire, around which a group were gathered; and here Gerty would fain have lingered.
The Lamplighter|Maria S. Cummins
The boy disappeared upon this, grumbling sulkily; and Sigismund opened a door leading into a parlour.
The Doctor's Wife|M. E. Braddon

British Dictionary definitions for parlour

parlour

US parlor

/ (ˈpɑːlə) /

noun

old-fashioned a living room, esp one kept tidy for the reception of visitors

a reception room in a priest's house, convent, etc

a small room for guests away from the public rooms in an inn, club, etc

mainly US, Canadian and NZ a room or shop equipped as a place of businessa billiard parlor

Caribbean a small shop, esp one selling cakes and nonalcoholic drinks

Also called: milking parlour a building equipped for the milking of cows

Word Origin for parlour

C13: from Anglo-Norman parlur, from Old French parleur room in convent for receiving guests, from parler to speak; see parley

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 parlour (1 of 2)

parlour

chiefly British English spelling of parlor (q.v.).

Word Origin and History for parlour (1 of 2)

parlor

c.1200, parlur, "window through which confessions were made," also "apartment in a monastery for conversations with outside persons;" from Old French parleor "courtroom, judgment hall, auditorium" (12c., Modern French parloir), from parler "to speak" (see parley (n.)).

Sense of "sitting room for private conversation" is late 14c.; that of "show room for a business" (e.g. ice cream parlor) first recorded 1884. As an adjective, "advocating radical views from a position of comfort," 1910.