palaver

[ puh-lav-er, ‐lah-ver ]
See synonyms for palaver on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a conference or discussion.

  2. a parley or conference between European traders, explorers, colonial officials, etc., and people indigenous to a region, especially in West Africa.

  1. profuse and idle talk; chatter.

  2. persuasive talk; flattery; cajolery:

verb (used without object),pa·lav·ered, pa·lav·er·ing.
  1. to talk profusely and idly.

  2. to parley or confer.

verb (used with object),pa·lav·ered, pa·lav·er·ing.
  1. to cajole or persuade.

Origin of palaver

1
First recorded in 1710–20; noun from Portuguese palavra “word, speech, talk,” from Late Latin parabola parable; verb derivative of the noun

Other words from palaver

  • pa·lav·er·er, pa·lav·er·ist, noun
  • pa·lav·er·ment, noun
  • pa·lav·er·ous, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for palaver

palaver

/ (pəˈlɑːvə) /


noun
  1. tedious or time-consuming business, esp when of a formal nature: all the palaver of filling in forms

  2. loud and confused talk and activity; hubbub

  1. (often used humorously) a conference

  2. rare talk intended to flatter or persuade

  3. Western African

    • an argument

    • trouble arising from an argument

verb
  1. (intr) (often used humorously) to have a conference

  2. (intr) to talk loudly and confusedly

  1. (tr) to flatter or cajole

Origin of palaver

1
C18: from Portuguese palavra talk, from Latin parabola parable

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