palaver

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European*per-
2. Proto-Indo-European*preh₂-
3. Proto-Hellenic*pərai
4. Ancient Greekπᾰρᾰ́ (părắ)
5. Ancient Greekπαρα- (para-)
6. Proto-Indo-European*gʷelH-
7. Proto-Hellenic*gʷəlnō
8. Ancient Greekβάλλω (bállō)
9. Ancient Greekπαραβάλλω (parabállō)
10. Ancient Greekπαραβολή (parabolḗ)
11. Late Latinparabola
12. Old Galician-Portugueseparavla
13. Old Galician-Portuguesepalavra
14. Portuguesepalavra
15. English todaypalaver

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.

Words from the same roots