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persiflage

American  
[pur-suh-flahzh, pair-] / ˈpɜr səˌflɑʒ, ˈpɛər- /

noun

  1. light, bantering talk or writing.

    Synonyms:
    badinage, banter
  2. a frivolous or flippant style of treating a subject.


persiflage British  
/ ˈpɜːsɪˌflɑːʒ /

noun

  1. light frivolous conversation, style, or treatment; friendly teasing

"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

Etymology

Origin of persiflage

First recorded in 1750–60; from French, derivative of persifler “to banter,” equivalent to per- prefix meaning “through, thoroughly, very” + siffler “to whistle, hiss,” from Late Latin sifilāre, for Latin sībilāre; per-, sibilant, -age

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.

This is just PR persiflage, and you can safely ignore it.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 15, 2023

The voice of the show is familiar, from barbershop persiflage, stoop-sitting smack talk, and barstool bullshitting.

From The New Yorker • Feb. 22, 2019

Follow this with a little badinage and dollop of persiflage.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2015

As a columnist for the Boston Phoenix and Boston Herald, he covered all sports, displaying an uncanny ability to cut through the persiflage and get to the core of a story or a personality.

From The Guardian • Jul. 29, 2011

We may here find a place for some words of Schluck's persiflage on the Burschen-Comment.

From The Student-Life of Germany by Howitt, William