ˈpɑ:lə n. (US parlor) 1 a sitting-room in a
private house. 2 a
room in a
hotel,
convent,
etc.,
for the private
use of residents. 3
esp. US a
shop providing specified goods or services (beauty parlour; ice-cream parlour). 4 a room or
building equipped for milking cows. 5 (attrib.) derog. denoting
support for
political views by
those who do
not try to
practise them (parlour socialist). øparlour game an
indoor game, esp. a
word game. parlour-maid
hist. a
maid who waits at
table. [ME f. AF parlur, OF parleor, parleur: see PARLANCE]