parley

C2+ Topic:Word Formation & Derivatives

US /ˈpɑrli/ UK /ˈpɑːli/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a discussion between opposing sides, especially to settle a dispute

The generals met under a flag of truce for a parley.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a discussion between... negotiation conference discussion talk dialogue meeting colloquy

Word family

Related forms parlance parlorparle

Simplified etymology

Parley entered English in late Middle English and ultimately belongs to the family of Latin parabola, “speech” or “discourse.” That Latin word came from Greek parabolē, originally a “placing side by side” or comparison.

Etymology

From Middle English, from Old French parlee, feminine past participle of parler 'to speak', from Late Latin parabolare, from Latin parabola 'discourse', from Greek parabolē.

parler Old French parabola la-lat

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Word Formation & Derivatives General Vocabulary

External links

# parley

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈpɑrli/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈpɑːli/

## Meanings
1. a discussion between opposing sides, especially to settle a dispute

## Examples
- The generals met under a flag of truce for a parley.

## Synonyms
- negotiation
- conference
- discussion
- talk
- dialogue
- meeting
- colloquy

## Related Forms
- parlance
- parlor
- parle

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: parler
- Root: parabola

## Etymology
From Middle English, from Old French parlee, feminine past participle of parler 'to speak', from Late Latin parabolare, from Latin parabola 'discourse', from Greek parabolē.

## AI Etymology
Parley is from Middle English, from Old French parlee, feminine past participle of parler 'to speak', from Late Latin parabolare, from Latin parabola 'discourse', from Greek parabolē. Important recorded forms include parler (Old French) and parabola (Latin). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers a discussion between opposing sides, especially to settle a dispute. The wider family includes related words such as parlance, parlor, and parle.

## Topics
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- General Vocabulary

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