parlour game: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2informal, somewhat dated
Quick answer
What does “parlour game” mean?
An indoor game played in a domestic sitting room, typically involving wordplay, puzzles, or charades.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An indoor game played in a domestic sitting room, typically involving wordplay, puzzles, or charades.
1) Any game, especially of a mental or conversation-based nature, suitable for playing in a social gathering in a home. 2) A trivial or non-serious intellectual pursuit.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
UK uses 'parlour', US uses 'parlor' in spelling. The term is equally recognized but may feel slightly more archaic in the US where 'living room game' or 'party game' is more common.
Connotations
UK: Nostalgic, traditional, associated with Victorian/Edwardian or mid mid-20th century family gatherings. US: Also nostalgic, but perhaps with a stronger connotation of upper-middle-class pastimes.
Frequency
Low frequency in both dialects, largely reserved for historical contexts or deliberate evocation of a bygone era.
Grammar
How to Use “parlour game” in a Sentence
We played [a parlour game]It was just [a parlour game]a parlour game [called/called 'Charades']a parlour game [involving/in which]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “parlour game” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They decided to parlour-game the evening away.
- (Rare/Non-standard)
American English
- (No common verbal use.)
adverb
British English
- (No adverbial use.)
American English
- (No adverbial use.)
adjective
British English
- They had a parlour-game evening.
- (Attributive use only)
American English
- The mood was light, almost parlour-game in nature.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used; might appear metaphorically: 'Strategic planning is not a parlour game.'
Academic
Used in historical, literary, or sociological studies of leisure and domestic life.
Everyday
Used when describing traditional family entertainment, often with nostalgia.
Technical
Not a technical term in any major field.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “parlour game”
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “parlour game”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “parlour game”
- Spelling: 'parlor game' (US) vs 'parlour game' (UK). Incorrectly applying it to complex modern board games like 'Dungeons & Dragons'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. While some board games can be parlour games, the term 'parlour game' is broader and includes non-board activities like Charades, Twenty Questions, or word association games. It emphasises the social, indoor, often improvised nature.
Its use has declined. It is now used mostly to evoke a sense of tradition or nostalgia, or to contrast with modern digital entertainment. 'Party game' is a more common modern equivalent.
Charades, Twenty Questions, I Spy, Consequences, Botticelli, and word games like 'Ghost' are all classic parlour games.
The word 'parlour' originates from Anglo-Norman French. British English retains the original '-our' spelling for many such words (colour, flavour), while American English simplified it to '-or' (color, flavor, parlor) in the 19th century.
An indoor game played in a domestic sitting room, typically involving wordplay, puzzles, or charades.
Parlour game is usually informal, somewhat dated in register.
Parlour game: in British English it is pronounced /ˈpɑːlə ɡeɪm/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈpɑːrlər ɡeɪm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's not a parlour game. (Meaning: This is serious business, not a trivial pursuit.)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a Victorian PARLOUR (fancy room) where people play a GAME. PARLOUR + GAME.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIGHT-HEARTED ACTIVITY IS A PARLOUR GAME (e.g., 'Politics is not a parlour game').
Practice
Quiz
What is the key atmosphere evoked by the term 'parlour game'?