Palaver

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /pəˈlɑː.vÉ™(ɹ)/
• Rhymes: -ɑːvÉ™(r)

Origin

Originally nautical slang, from Portuguese palavra ("word"), from Late Latin parabola ("parable, speech")

Full definition of palaver

Noun

1. (Africa) A village council meeting.
• 1799, w, Travels in the Interior of Africa, Here we remained four days, on account of a palaver which was held on the following occasion.
2. Talk, especially unnecessary talk, fuss.
• 1899, Stephen Crane, Active Service:Knowing full well the right time and the wrong time for a palaver of regret and disavowal, this battalion struggled in the desperation of despair.
• 1985, Justin Richards, Option Lock, p 229:Not for the first time, he reflected that it was not so much the speeches that strained the nerves as the palaver that went with them.
3. A meeting at which there is much talk; a debate.
• CarlyleThis epoch of parliaments and eloquent palavers.
4. (informal) DisagreementI have no palaver with him.

Verb

1. To discuss with much talk.
• 1860, Atlantic Monthly, vol. 5, no. 30 (April),“That,” he rejoined, “is a way we Americans have. We cannot stop to palaver. What would become of our manifest destiny?”

Synonyms