banter

Meanings

Noun

• Sharp, good-humoured, playful, typically spontaneous conversation.

Verb

• To engage in banter or playful conversation.
• To play or do something amusing.
• To tease (someone) mildly.
• To joke about; to ridicule (a trait, habit, etc.).
• To delude or trick; to play a prank upon.
• To challenge to a match.
• To haggle; cheapen the price.

Origin

• 1670s as verb, 1680s as noun. The origin is unknown, possibly from London street slang; ostensibly as --er#Etymology 7. Possibly an Anglo-Gaelicism from the bean, so that "banter" means "talk of women."