dalliance
UK /ˈdælɪəns/ · US /ˈdæli.əns/ noun
Forms dalliances
- noun Playful flirtation; amorous play.
- noun An episode of dabbling.
- noun A wasting of time in idleness or trifles.
- noun A sexual relationship, not serious but often illicit.
Synonyms
flirtation dawdling idling trifling affair affairette fling liaison flirt flirting coquetry toying
Etymology
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.
Webster’s 1913
- noun The act of dallying, trifling, or fondling; interchange of caresses; wanton play.
- noun Delay or procrastination. Shak.
Etymology [From Dally.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “dalliance”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details