persiflage
Say it: PUR-sih-flahzh /ˈpəːsɪflɑːʒ/ · noun
What “persiflage” means
Light, playful talk with gentle teasing.
More precisely: Light, mocking banter or frivolous talk.
Example: “Beneath the persiflage at dinner, two of the guests were clearly negotiating a deal.”
When to use it
Use it for elegant, lightly mocking conversation among people enjoying themselves. It sounds literary and rather formal.
Similar words
banter, badinage, raillery
Where it comes from
From French persifler, 'to banter'.
Quick check
Over dinner, friends trade light teasing remarks about each other's tastes, with no serious disagreement. What is this conversation?
a quarrel or persiflage?
Show the answer
persiflage
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