noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK:/ˈpɑː.ləns/
US:/ˈpɑɹ.ləns/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:P AA1 R L AH0 N S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A certain way of speaking, of using words; especially that associated with a particular job or interest.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Of a word, the quality of being lexicalized; especially as jargon or slang.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Speech, discussion or debate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, countable, rare, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
a manner of speaking that is natural to native speakers of a language
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: idiom
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: formulation, expression
History
Etymology
From Middle English *parlaunce, from Anglo-Norman parlance, parlaunce, from parler (“to talk”) + -ance.
Across languages
Translations
39 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
говор
(govor)
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Chinese:
措辞
(cuòcí)
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Estonian:
kõneviis
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Finnish:
puhetapa
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Finnish:
-kieli
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Finnish:
-slangi
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
German:
Ausdrucksweise
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
German:
Jargon
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
German:
Redeweise
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
German:
Redestil
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
German:
Sprechweise
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
German:
Diktion
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Icelandic:
talsmáti
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Icelandic:
málvenja
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Icelandic:
málfar
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Icelandic:
mál
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Italian:
parlata
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Persian:
بیان
(bayân)
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Polish:
język
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Polish:
mowa
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Russian:
манера говорить
(manera govoritʹ)
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Russian:
говоря языком
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Russian:
на языке
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Slovene:
žargon
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Spanish:
jerga
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Spanish:
sociolecto
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Spanish:
lenguaje
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Spanish:
habla
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Spanish:
fabla (disused)
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Spanish:
hablado
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Spanish:
caliche
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Spanish:
argot
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Spanish:
jerigonza
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Spanish:
germanía
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Swedish:
språkbruk
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Swedish:
jargong
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Turkish:
deyim
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Turkish:
deyiş
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
Turkish:
tâbir
— A certain way of speaking (or using words)
