badinage
Say it: BAD-ih-nahzh /ˈbadɪnɑːʒ/ · noun
What “badinage” means
Light, witty conversation with playful teasing.
More precisely: Humorous, witty conversation; playful teasing.
Example: “The podcast's appeal is the easy badinage between two old friends.”
When to use it
Use it for easy, clever teasing between people who enjoy each other's company; it sounds literary rather than everyday.
Similar words
banter, repartee, raillery
Where it comes from
French, from badiner, 'to joke'.
Quick check
Two friends trade gentle jokes about each other's cooking while laughing together over lunch. Their conversation is full of…
hostility or badinage?
Show the answer
badinage
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