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Added 9 October 2026

dalliance

/ˈdælɪəns/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about dalliance at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

The deliberate act of delaying and playing instead of working.
Playful behavior intended to arouse sexual interest.

Origin

From Middle English daliaunce et al., from dalien (“to exchange pleasantries, to chat; to flirt”), from Old French dalier, dailer. By surface analysis, dally + -ance.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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