Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “parley” come from?

Parley comes from Middle English parlai, from Old French parler meaning "to speak," from Late Latin parabolo, from Latin parabola, from Ancient Greek παραβολή meaning "comparison" or "placing side by side," derived from παρά "beside" and βάλλω "to throw," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European per-.

parley (English): A conference, especially one between enemies; To...

Definitions

  1. A conference, especially one between enemies; To...

Ancestry of “parley”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishparlaispeech, parley
2Old Frenchparlerto speak; to talk
3Latinparabolō—
4LatinparabolaA comparison, illustration, likeness; An...
5Ancient Greekπαραβολήa placing of two things side by side,...
6Ancient Greekπαραβάλλωto compare; to set side by side; I set side by...
7Ancient Greekπᾰρᾰ-near; next to; by, near
8Ancient Greekπαρά
9Latinverēdus—
10Gaulishwerēdoshorse
11Proto-Celtic*uɸoreidos—

Words derived from “parley”

  • parleyer
  • barley
Every word from Proto-Celtic *uɸoreidos →