palaver

Meanings

Noun

• A village council meeting.
• Talk, especially unnecessary talk; chatter.
• Talk intended to deceive.
• Fuss.
• A meeting at which there is much talk; a debate; a moot.
• Disagreement.

Verb

• To discuss with much talk.
• To flatter.

Origin

• Originally nautical slang, from Portuguese palavra, 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. parable, parole, and parabola.