# palaver

> English word · Noun · IPA /pəˈlɑː.və(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #77,065

## Definitions
1. A village council meeting.
2. Talk, especially unnecessary talk; chatter.
3. Mentally draining activity, either physical or fuss.
4. A meeting at which there is much talk; a debate; a moot.
5. Disagreement.
6. Talk intended to deceive.

## Etymology
Originally nautical slang, from Portuguese palavra (“word”), from Late Latin parabola (“parable, speech”). The term's use (especially in Africa) mimics the evolution of the word moot. As such, for sense development, see moot. Doublet of parable, parole, and parabola.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/palaver